


The Good Son

by AmosLee1023



Series: The Good Son, the series [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Adoption, Age Difference, Anal Sex, Canon Gay Relationship, Character Death, Coming of Age, Desk Sex, Embedded Images, Explicit Sexual Content, Family Drama, Gay, Hand Jobs, High School, Horror, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Language, M/M, Mentions of Cancer, Minor Character Death, Murder, Murderers, Obsession, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Psychological Drama, Psychological Horror, Psychotropic Drugs, Rape/Non-con Elements, Same-Sex Marriage, Suspense, Tags Are Hard, Teenagers, Thriller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-03-08 03:04:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 21
Words: 67,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13449198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmosLee1023/pseuds/AmosLee1023
Summary: Jack works at a law firm, and his husband Arty stays at home. After a recent death in the family, the two decide it's time to adopt another child. Daniel Scott, from the great, hilly capital of Edinburgh. They just didn't anticipate him to be so perfect. Or so deceiving.Do you ever know who you're really letting into your home?[[Remastering]][[[COMPLETED]]]





	1. Chapter One: New Addition

****

 

 

**Chapter One: New Addition**

"So Daniel, you like to paint, right?" Arty asked, turning in the passenger's seat to look back at the teen, the boy's dark eyes looking out of the car window. They flickered to Arty when the man spoke, and the teen smiled lightly.

"I do."

Arty gave a big smile and reached out to pat Jack's shoulder, his older husband looking out at the icy road while he drove. It had been a five hour drive to and from the orphanage, where Daniel was driven from his foster family's home to wait for his new adoptive parents. There, it was chilly with frost on the grass. Once they reached the tall mountains of Colorado, the snow had taken over everything, and the roads held a layer of ice that made the road a little risky. "I knew he was going to be a painter," Arty said like it was a bet. Jack rolled his eyes and glanced at Daniel through the rear view mirror.

"Arty likes to think he can see a painter by their face," he said. Arty snorted and sat back in his seat.

"I've never been wrong, sweet husband. Speaking o-f," Arty turned in his seat to look at Daniel again, the teen noticing and perking up, looking at the brunette when he sensed his eyes. "Jack used to be a painter, so I think you'll love the art room. We have more supplies than you'll probably even use," the man said and smiled meekly. Daniel crossed a foot over his thigh and glanced back out of the window.

"These plains look very good for painting," he said, and looked back at Arty to smile. "It must be very lovely here."

Arty nodded and turned back to look at some paperwork that he hadn't really been reading yet. "It really is; I grew up down in the north, though, so I didn't see much snow. This all is really Jack's forte."

"Speaking of forte, we're almost there," Jack spoke up, where the city life started to become visible. From the city, it was a forty minute drive to the house, which lay in the snowy countryside, away from all of the meddling and stress that overcrowded towns held.

At a time that couldn't come sooner, the house came into view to relieve them of their long driving. Daniel had to take a plane ride from his first home, on top of the drive with Arty and Jack.

Jack turned into the driveway that was close to needing another shoveling and parked the car. Arty was the first to get out, stretching his body and letting the biting cold assault his warmed skin from the car's heater. Daniel followed pursuit, but he was very reserved and stifled a yawn, taking up his back pack that he had sat with and flinging it onto his shoulder. Arty glanced and him and laughed.

"You can loosen up- get a good stretch in there, you must be dying."

Daniel's cheeks warmed, but he just shook his head, smiling meekly. "It's okay."

Jack got out of the car and went to the back, where he popped the truck to get Daniel's belongings; two suitcases of clothes and some cardboard boxes of presumably, his art and supplies. "You guys can go on in, I'll get these," he called. Daniel looked at Arty, who didn't waste any time. The man waved for Daniel to follow and left to the front door.

When Daniel caught up to him, Arty whispered playfully, "If he offers, take it and run." Daniel chuckled lightly before asking, "You have a son, what was his name again?"

"Geil, he's six. He's inside waiting to meet you," Arty replied. He then started stomping his shoes on the porch to get the snow off. In his peripheral, he could see Daniel watching him before doing the same. He chuckled. "Jack's brother is a carpenter, and I don't want him to come all the way down just to do the floor again," Arty added. Daniel nodded. The teen then furrowed his eyebrows, his dark bangs covering them, which meant he was due for a haircut.

"Why do you live so far away?" he asked. Arty clicked his tongue.

"Well, for the privacy, mostly. Jack works in the city a lot, and he doesn't like work coming into our home life. Plus, my insanely annoying mom lives in the city. B-ut, she's here babysitting, so... I hope you like family drama as much as the next person," the man said and smiled for humor. Daniel laughed.

"Okay."

"See, you're getting it." Arty reached out to pat Daniel's head of curly, dark brown hair before opening the door to let them in.

The house was as big inside as it was outside, and it was even more ornate and expensive than anticipated, on account of Jack's job at the law firm. It was something Daniel's eyes hadn't even imagined before, yet it still looked human and lovely, and comfortable, like a natural home.

"You okay?" Arty asked Daniel. The teen nodded and glanced at the man.

"It's just..."

"Big."

"Yes."

"I know," Arty sighed. "I was thinking of us going bigger." He laughed when he saw the look in Daniel's dark eyes. "I'm kidding, it's already a little too big. But, Jack's family grew up with money, on top of his job, so it's just natural for the Masons to make a spectacle of things."

"You aren't from an aristocratic family?" Daniel asked, watching Arty. The man whistled and shook his head.

"Nope. And what about you, Mr. Vinci? Did you grow up swimming in gold?" the man asked, shrugging his coat off. Daniel gave him a look like he were silly.

"No. Scotland is full of castles and blood money, but I'm not in that category."

"Never know; you could use a genealogy site and find out you're a secret royalty~" Arty suggested, giving the teen a half smile. Daniel chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"The  _day_!"

"Aw, I knew you'd open up fast," Arty laughed, hanging his coat on the hanger beside the front door. Daniel smiled softly and took off his own to do the same.

A child's excited yell sounded from the kitchen, just passed a sofa and near the staircase, through a tall open arch. The boy came into view, running through the arch and to Arty, who dipped down to sweep the boy up.

"Daddy!" the child squealed, wrapping his arms around Arty's neck and his legs around d his waist.

"Ah, there you are, little baby," Arty pinched Geil cheek before hugging him. He glanced at Daniel with a smile at seeing Geil. "Geil, this is your new brother Daniel, go ahead and tell him hello!" he said and peered at Giel's face. The pale blonde haired child looked at Daniel, Arty brushing his hair down when he noticed some strands sticking up from whatever horseplay he had been up to while they were gone.

The child didn't say anything, but he did stare at Daniel, trying to save the teen's face into his head, or see if he knew him from somewhere. Other than that, the child didn't do anything, because he didn't know what to do. Daniel didn't, either, standing with his hands at his sides.

"Hello," Daniel finally said. Geil's light blue eyes lit up and he looked at Arty with a childish grin.

"He sounds funny!"

Arty laughed. He quickly shook his head and started to explain. "He's from Scotland, Geil, so he talks different. It's cool, isn't it?" He glanced at Daniel and winked, which made the teen feel a little better.

The front door came open and Jack stepped inside with the things. The boxes stood tall in his arms, covering his face, and he somehow managed to carry in the suitcases, too, one under his arm and the other in his occupied hands. He set the suitcases doen before the boxes, and once empty of the weights, stood up straight and coughed from the chilliness of outside. His nose and cheeks were pink.

"Aw, Babe, did you get stuck?" Arty asked in a teasing voice that Daniel smiled at, looking at the cold man. Jack's hair was a light brown or sandy blonde color, with grey strands that fit into the combed hair. His chin had brown and grey scruff that Arty was very fond of looking at, but already tired of touching. The man shook his head, being too prideful in himself.

"Never. Where's your mother?" he asked, taking off his coat and putting it away with the others.

Arty shrugged. "I don't know." He handed Geil to Jack, the child asking for him and then complaining when he felt that the man's hands were cold.

"Boys!" a woman's voice called from the kitchen.

"Speak of the devil," Jack muttered.

"Are you here?" she called out again before emerging. She looked like she came with the house, blonde hair in a swirled bun and wearing clothes that looked like Daniel should know the brand of, but he didn't. She was thin with so much heavy jewelry that she should have been weighed down.

"Oh, Artemis, there you are," she spoke, her heels checking against the floor as she made her way over. She placed her hands on her son's cheeks and smiled at him with perfect red lips. "You took so long I thought I was going to take Geil home with me," she said, though the humor was missing from her words. Neither Arty it Jack laughed, and she dropped a hand from Arty's cheek to his neck, where she grabbed the silver chain of a necklace that hung around him and played with it. Daniel watched her thoughtful eyes, and then he found them on him. She let go of her son and looked the teen over. "You must be my new grandson."

The woman tapped her shoes to Daniel and put a hand on the teen's head, where her rings clacked against his skull. He watched her as she calmly judged him.

"So, Mom," Arty spoke up, "this is Daniel. Daniel, this is my mom, Sandra,"he announced, watching the two.

"Papa, I wanna show you something," Geil said to Jack. The older man put the child down and reluctantly followed him upstairs, leaving Arty to his mother, who didn't seem to mind Jack's leaving. She kept her attention on Daniel.

"Daniel," she spoke, "How old are you?" Her brown eyes looked him over again.

"Fifteen," the teen answered. Sandra gave a breath and looked at Arty, pulling her hand away to put on her hip.

"A twenty eight year old adopting a fifteen year old. How funny does that sound. Isn't that a, thirteen year difference?" She rose a fine eyebrow and her son noticed the amused smirk plastering its way on her face. He huffed in agitation and looked at Daniel.

"You know Daniel, I was going to ask you to go on and get a snack, but I just realized I haven't shown you around yet. Excuse us, Mother," the man said, smiling at the woman. Daniel looked at her, too.

"...It was nice to meet you, Sandra," the teen said. He held out a hand to shake hers, but she didn't lift a finger. Arty cleared his throat.

"Come on Daniel, let me show you your room," the man said.

He stepped passed Sandra to lead Daniel to the stairs, pausing to say, "We'll see you later?"

His mother didn't reply. She turned to the front door and opened it, not having a cost because she was fond of her figure.

"Thank you for watching Geil-"

She shut the door before Arty could finish, cutting her son off Andy leaving. The man hummed and put a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "Let's go, kiddo."

The two walked through the living room, where Arty showed Daniel the side doors that led outside, Jack's office which was near there kitchen and front door, and the nearest closets and bathrooms; there was one bathroom downstairs and two upstairs, which Arty hadn't shown Daniel yet. He did, though, take the teen into the kitchen, where it was tidy besides a plastic plate with scattered bread crust that sprinkled the dark marble counter beneath it. As Arty walked over to pick up the mess, Daniel stepped aside to look at a large, beige china cabinet.

"Do you and your mum not get along?" the teen asked, a hand raised and brushing lightly over the carvings in the wood. Arty laughed from behind him and Daniel looked into the cabinet's glass to see Arty's reflection shaking its head.

"Well, I like her and all, but she's just apprehensive about some things. I mean, I think it has to do with-"

"Your relationship with Jack?" Daniel watched Arty look up at him before looking away as he scooped crumbs onto the plate.

"Yeah. You're very smart, aren't you? I mean, it's not hard to tell our age difference, but still," Arty laughed and walked away from the counter to the trash can, where he dumped the plate inside.

"How old is Jack?" Daniel asked, turning around so that he could look fully at Arty. The older brunette turned from the trash, looking up at the ceiling. He twisted his lips in thought before looking at Daniel.

"Eighty."

"You're lying," Daniel spoke up and Arty laughed and nodded. He dropped his gaze to the floor before looking back to Daniel.

"He's fifty four. Shocking, isn't it?" he chortled, but Daniel shook his head.

"You two look happy."

"Ah, you're smart  _and_  insightful!"

Daniel huffed a smile and Arty motioned for him. "Come on, let's go upstairs."

There were two sets of stairs, and they had a beautiful carpet that lined down them. And then there was the hallway, with the two bathrooms, four bedrooms, Jack's old art room, and a playroom.

"Are you ready to see your room?" Arty asked, when they stopped before a bedroom door.

"Will I share it with Geil?"

Arty laughed. "Not unless you want to."

"Okay then, I'm ready," Daniel said through a grin and Arty laughed again.

"Alright, go ahead and open it."

Daniel gripped the doorknob with his pale hand and turned it slowly before pushing the door open.

It was clean inside, impeccably. The bed was made, with grey and pale blue bedding, and there was a dresser and walk-in closet, with a desk in front of the window. The walls were bright and pale, the floor pale wood like downstairs, but with a soft carpet covering a majority of it. Daniel stepped inside and Arty followed, looking around at the room.

"We didn't really know what you'd like, so a lot of it's up to you. And since you like to paint, you can even use the walls," the man said, smiling lightly at the room he had put together. Then he walked to the closet, where he pat the door to get Daniel's attention. "It's a walk-in closet! They're really neat; I always used to throw my shoes in mine when I was a kid," Arty laughed. "Every house had to have one, according to my dad."

Daniel walked to Arty and hugged him. "...Thank you," he said, hugging Arty around his torso. The man let out a breath and wrapped his arms around Daniel in return, hugging him softly.

"It's nothing, Daniel. Thank you for deciding to come here."

Daniel reached a hand up to Arty's neck.


	2. Chapter Two: Getting to Know

**Chapter Two: Getting to Know**

 

"I don't want you to go to work tomorrow," Arty mumbled as he lay lazily on Jack's office desk, his clothes in a crumpled pile on the floor. Jack clicked his tongue and tucked himself back into his boxer briefs before buttoning his pants and fastening his belt.

"I don't want us to go to bed," the older man replied, leaning over the desk to kiss Arty, his husband wrapping his bare legs around Jack's waist and pulling him closer to him. Jack shook his head. "You'd be a good con artist," he said humorously, letting Arty slip his arms around his neck and kiss him some more.

"Mm, why's that?" the brunette asked through a small smirk of delight at being named a con of mischief.

"You're good at convincing." Jack looked into Arty's beautiful blue eyes, lightly illuminated by the porch light that showed through the window's thin curtains. Other than that, the office was dark, and most of their night together had been blind.

Arty chuckled and tightened his hold on his husband, keeping him from slipping away as he deepened the kiss, Jack's facial hair scratching his soft lips and chin, but he ignored it for the sake of the moment. He let the older blonde's tongue slip into his mouth, canvasing the hot canal. Arty moaned into the kiss and brought a hand down to caress Jack's cheek, his thumb grazing over the light scar that took Jack's cheek near his mouth when he and his brother got into a fight while building a shed together years ago. He'd won, of course, but not unscathed, even if the scar was hidden by his facial hair.

Jack felt a hand up Arty's soft, thin stomach, before breaking the kiss with a groan of agitation. Arty chuckled, gazing up at him.

"What?"

"You know what; work, and you have to watch the kids."

Arty pouted but let Jack go anyway, because he was right, as much as sexually, he was wrong. "Okay, leave me here all alone, draped like a damsel-"

"Arty," Jack chuckled, giving the sexy, naked man a sideways glance as he stepped back. Arty laughed and sat up on the desk.

"Fine, give me the tissues and let them work you as a  _slave_ ," Arty said with flair. He never said, but Jack always wondered if he had taken theater or drama classes in school.

"I happen to like my job, thank you very much." Jack grabbed the box of tissues from the shelf beside his desk, which he handed to Arty as the brunette got up from the wooden surface.

"I know, I know. They just really work you."

"No pain, no gain, babe."

Arty rolled his eyes and started cleaning himself up, wiping his inner thighs of their passion. Jack knelt to grab Arty's clothes and tossed them to the man, who barely caught them in the darkness. He threw the tissues away and started dressing himself, and then he wrapped his arms around Jack's neck again once he was finished, pressing his body to his husband's.

"One more," he said and pressed his lips against Jack's neck. His husband ducked out of Arty's hold.

"Keep me up any later and I'll have to call in sick."

"Ooh."

"Which isn't happening." Jack took Arty's hand and dragged him out of the room, the younger man whispering small, flirtatious words to him. Jack glanced at him with a smile and almost said something in return, but Arty slipped away from him first. "What now?"

"I'll be up in a minute, I want a glass of water," Arty said and pointed off toward the kitchen. Jack let Arty give him a quick peck before continuing to the stairs to go to bed, his younger husband going of to the kitchen.

Arty flicked the kitchen lights on and stepped to the sink, where he reached up above the porcelain to grab a cup from the cupboard.

He hummed a tune lightly to himself, turning the sink on and holding the cup underneath the water to fill it. Once it was full, he shut the sink off and leaned over it, gazing into his glass at the water that bubbled lightly inside.

His humming came to a slow end, as his mind started to wander about something.

"What were you singing?" a sudden voice asked, startling Arty enough to make him lose his grip on his cup, but he quickly caught it before it fell and shattered. He set the goods inside of the sink and turned to look at the surprise guest.

Daniel sat at the kitchen table, with an empty plate in front of him and jars of peanut butter and jelly to the side closed, because of the respectful boy he was. The dirty butter knife on the plate told that he had just finished eating. Arty gave an awkward laugh.

"Wow, you uh, scared me. How long have you been in here?" he asked, turning from the sink shift leaning back against it.

"I came in here a while before, but I suppose I fell asleep. Sorry to startle you."

"Er, no, it's okay. Did you eat with the light off?" Arty asked curiously, furrowing his eyebrows. Daniel gave a light shrug and nodded.

"What was that song?" the teen asked again, putting his arms on the table and resting his chin on them, gazing at Arty with his dark eyes. The man gave a smile.

"It's just a Spanish lullaby. I might not like like it, but my dad was Mexican. He'd always play it on his guitar at night, mostly when it rained," he said proudly, though the pride was soft and careful.

Daniel didn't say anything, watching Arty like he expected more to be said. The man shook his head and looked at the China cabinet. "I never knew the words, but-"

"It sounded beautiful," Daniel said. Arty glanced at him and laughed, surprised.

"Um, thanks." He chuckled meekly, abashed. Then he pointed off. "We should head to bed; it's late and I don't want to be to blame if your sleeping schedule gets rocky." He picked the glass back up to drink from it before setting upside down in the sink, letting the drain suck down the leftover.

Daniel stood up from the table and took up the plate and jars, where he carried the dishes to the sink to set them inside. He brushed his arm against Arty's, the man not noticing as he offered to take the jars from Daniel and put them away.

"So, are you liking your room?" A the man asked while setting the jelly in the fridge. Daniel nodded.

"The bed is very soft and comfortable, and it's quiet."

"Were there more kids in the foster home?"

"There were three more, and they were always loud."

"Mm. Well, come on, I'll walk you to your room," Arty said and waved for Daniel to follow him as he headed to the kitchen archway. Daniel did so, and the two walked to the stairs together. Whatever more questions Daniel had, he waited until they were upstairs to ask, while Jack and Geil were most likely sleeping. He looked at Arty.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked. Arty nodded whilst walking the teen to his room.

"Sure."

"How long have you and Jack been married?"

Arty chuckled and shook his head. "Well, seven years. It'll be eight in exactly three months."

"March 23rd?"

"Yep, March 23rd. It doesn't feel like it's been that long though, it still feels just like yesterday," the man said softly. Daniel could see the fondness in the his eyes. "I know that's what all married couples say, but honestly. It's like, Geil was just a toddler yesterday!" he exclaimed in a hushed voice. Daniel nodded while smiling softly.

"I can see it. Can you come into my room?" he asked, looking at Arty. The brunette feigned thinking it over before nodding.

"Sure, I'll come inside."

Daniel opened his bedroom door and walked inside. Walking to his bed and sitting, he watched Arty step into the room and sit at Daniel's desk, pulling the chair out and turning it to face the teen. "Is something wrong?" he asked. Daniel shook his head.

"Can you tell me how you two met?"

"Me and Jack?"

"Yes."

Arty huffed and gave a little laugh. "Well, when I was sixteen I had this job at a grocery store, and he came in a few times with his wife of the time, but they were always bickering. What kind of bread, who had the car keys, who was gonna pay me... Then one day, he came alone and we chatted."

"He was been married before?"

"Yeah, he was maybe… his early forties? We got married on my twenty first."

"Your birthday is March 23rd?" Daniel asked, sitting forward on his bed. Arty nodded.

"Yep, that's it."

"How long did you date before getting married?"

Arty reached up to rub his neck, and Daniel knew then that he wasn't going to answer. "Daniel, it's um, really getting late," the man said softly and stood up from the chair. Daniel pressed his lips together and watched Arty as the man turned the chair back and pushed it in.

"...Goodnight, then," Daniel spoke up and Arty looked over at him. The man gave a soft smile.

"Goodnight, Daniel. You're lucky it's Saturday, that means you don't have school tomorrow," he said before stretching, arching his back. This time, Daniel didn't say anything, watching Arty stretch and then letting him pat his head as he left the room.

l.l

"Wait, wait! Jack!" Arty jumped up from the kitchen table to run after Jack, who had just passed the kitchen with his work suit on, in the process of doing his tie.

"Dammit, Arty, I'm already running late!" Jack stopped to look at Arty, the man rushing to him and stopping him in his tracks. Daniel watched them through the kitchen arch for a moment before looking beside himself, where Geil ate his omelet with his hands, his little fingers coated in ketchup. Hearing Arty and Jack talk in the background, Daniel leaned on the table with an elbow, watching Geil as the child ate poorly.

The blonde boy didn't look like he was aware of the dark eyes, touching his plate with his dirty fingers. Then Daniel tapped the table in front of Geil, getting his attention. The child looked at Daniel with his big blue eyes, his lips full with boyish youth.

"Why is your hair so long?" Daniel asked, looking at Geil's feathery hair that touched his shoulders. The question seemed to go over Giel's head, as he stared at Daniel. The teen sat silently for a moment before asking again. "Why is your hair so long?"

Geil spoke up this time.

"Daddy likes it, he says it's pretty," the boy said shyly, and Daniel glanced back out of the archway, where Jack was motioning off while talking to Arty. He looked back at Geil.

"Which daddy?"

"Daddy!"

"Nice daddy, or old daddy?"

"Nice daddy," Geil took a bite of his omelet with his small teeth and Daniel turned back to his own plate when he heard the front door shut, pulling his arm off of the table and taking up his fork again.

Arty came into the kitchen with a sigh, walking to the counter beside the stove to start picking things up from cooking; the eggshells that Geil helped crack, the mixing bowl, frying pan.

"What's wrong?" Daniel asked, cutting a piece of his omelet to eat. Arty looked at the two from where he stood beside the stove, and he eventually gave in with a huff of defeat.

"I lost my necklace. It's on a silver chain, and I  _always_  wear it." He put the things down to put a hand on his forehead to try and remember where he would have taken it off, if he had.

"Is there a more detailed description?" Daniel asked, putting his fork down to give Arty his full attention. The adult just shook his head slowly in self agitation.

"There's a locket on it. It's not too big at all."

"I have a locket!" Geil called out, but Arty ignored him because he knew he was just saying things. He sighed deeply and decided to finish picking up before leaving the kitchen again. Daniel furrowed his eyebrows.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm gonna look in Jack's office. Would you mind watching Geil for me, please?" Arty asked and looked back at Daniel, who looked at Geil. The teen nodded.

"Sure."


	3. Chapter Three: True Colors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel uncovers what could be Arty's biggest shame, and Geil gets to see first hand how brotherly Daniel really is.

Daniel sat with Geil, watching the younger boy play with his toys. It was boring, but if Geil said something, Daniel replied, and if Geil asked a question, he answered it. Then he suddenly got up, and Daniel watched him from where he sat crisscross on the child’s bedroom floor.

“Where are you going?” he asked, watching Geil as he walked to the door.

“Potty.”

Daniel stood up, walking after the boy. As they left the room, Daniel pat a door to his left in the hallway, Geil looking back at him.

“What’s this room?” Daniel asked, looking down at Geil. The child gave a small, confused expression before turning back and continuing down the hallway. Daniel associated it with the boy probably not knowing. Then he knocked on the next door.

“What’s this room, Geil?” He got the boy’s attention again, the blonde looking back at him with his blue eyes. Then his eyes slipped to the door and he walked to it to slap his hand against it, to mimic Daniel’s knocks.

“That’s the big boy potty!”

“So it’s for the daddies?”

“Uh huh.” Geil turned so that he could keep walking, but Daniel caught him by the arm, making the blond look back at him.

“Why don’t we use it?”

Geil stared at Daniel with his wide blue eyes, his lips pursed. “...It’s a no-no.”

Daniel shrugged. “That’s alright.” Dipping down to Geil’s ear, he whispered, “Just keep it a secret.” Then he let the boy go and stood straight, pushing the bathroom door open. The room was big and white, clean. It had an exceptionally large bathtub and two sinks with mirrors. It also smelled like cologne and shampoo.

“I can’t reach the toilet,” Geil said from behind Daniel and the tall brunette looked back.

“...You will.” He waved the boy in, shutting the door after, and then he helped Geil unbutton his shorts. When the blonde pulled his underwear down, Daniel picked him up under his arms and lifted him up over the tall toilet, sitting him onto it. The young boy had to hold the sides of the toilet so he wouldn’t fall in and his eyes looked wide with fear. Daniel let him go once he had a good grip on the toilet, and then he smiled at him.

“See? It’s alright.”

“I-I need help,” Geil whispered, but Daniel turned away from him, looking at the rest of the bathroom.

“Just don’t make a mess, hm?” He walked to the bath, where two sets of shampoo and conditioner rest in a rack on the wall. Grabbing a bottle of shampoo, he pulled the cap up and sniffed it, his nose filling with the bitter, spicy fragrance that most men used. Recapping it, the teen put it back and grabbed the other, pulling its cap up and sniffing it, too. It made him smile a little, and he smelled it again.

“Danul-”

“Dan _iel_.” It smelled fresh and light; beautiful. Placing it back, Daniel turned from the tub to the sinks, walking passed the struggling child so that he could look at them. There was a cup between the two, holding a blue toothbrush and a green, and there was some red cinnamon toothpaste beside it. Glancing up, Daniel looked at the mirrors.

The right mirror had a small handle on the side. Reaching out, Daniel grabbed the handle and pulled it open to look inside. He found prescription pill bottles, and he took one out to look at it.

“Danul, I’m done,” Geil wiggled on the toilet, his arms getting tired and his palms sweaty.

AMBIEN: Take one pill only when needed, do not take with food or alcohol, effects may last up to eight hours. Looking the bottle over, it looked pretty full, like it hadn’t been used much. Then on the label, it read _Mason, Arthur: Insomnia_.

“Danul!”

Daniel opened the case, taking a few capsules and sticking them into his pants pocket. Then he shut the lid back on and-

Geil started crying.

Put the bottle back in the mirror, shutting it.

“Daniel!”

Daniel ran to the toilet, snatching Geil up from the seat just as one of his hands slipped from the porcelain. Putting Geil on the floor, Daniel smiled at him.

“I wasn’t going to let you fall, silly.” He knelt down so that he could pull up Geil’s underwear and shorts, the boy wiping his wet eyes with a small hand. He didn’t say anything, pouting at his adoptive brother, who just smiled at him again. “Come on, you aren’t a girl, are you? Only girls cry,” he stood up, patting Geil’s blonde head of hair. Then he leaned over the toilet to flush it before grabbing Geil’s arm and taking him out of the bathroom.

In his bedroom, Daniel sat on his bed, looking at Arty’s necklace that rest in his lap.

It must really be something, because it looked perfect; in the best condition. Opening the locket, Daniel dropped the pills inside, over a boy’s portrait. Then he shut it again before climbing off of his bed, shoving the necklace between his mattress and box-spring.

The bedroom door opened and Daniel looked over, patting his bed. His eyes landed on Arty, the man standing in the doorway with an indifferent expression.

“Hello Arty, I was just fixing my bed,” Daniel got back up, sitting on his mattress. Then he tilted his head at Arty, furrowing his eyebrows in concern. “...Is something wrong?”

Arty stood with his lips pressed together, like he had planned out what to say, but then he just sighed and shook his head. “Er, Geil mentioned that you scared him or something, but I’m sure it was nothing. ...Can I come in?” he asked. Daniel nodded, watching the older brunette come into the room. Smiling softly, Daniel leaned forward on his bed.

“Have you found your necklace?”

Arty shook his head. “No, not yet.” He walked to Daniel’s desk, putting a pencil upside-down like the others, in the pencil cup.

“It must be special to you.”

“...Yeah, it was a gift from my younger brother.” Arty glanced at Daniel, the teen offering him a smile. Then Arty gave a breath and motioned with a hand. “Do you want to go out? Jack comes home late from work and I don’t have the right things for dinner,” he leaned on the desk’s chair and Daniel stood up.

“Yeah, that sounds nice!”

Arty laughed softly. “Great. Don’t forget a coat; I’m gonna go and get Geil ready.” He pushed off of the chair and left the room to Geil’s, shutting Daniel’s bedroom door behind him.

In Geil’s room, he got the boy’s coat from the closet, putting it on him while the child stared at him, lips pursed in a child’s frustration. Arty sighed.

“I talked to him, Geil, and I think you’re overreacting.” He zipped the coat up, snapping the buttons over the zipper. Geil pouted but didn’t say anything. Grabbing Geil around his little torso, Arty stuffed his face into the boy’s neck, attacking his flesh in playful kisses that made the blonde squeal in laughter.

l.l

“What do you boys want for dinner?” Arty asked, strolling the grocery cart through the store with Geil strapped into the seat. Daniel didn’t say anything, watching Geil to see what the child would say.

“Spaghetti!” he cried out, kicking his legs in the cart. Arty looked at Daniel.

“Do you want spaghetti, too?”

Daniel nodded, walking beside him. “Yes, I fancy it.”

Arty huffed a little laugh, nodding. “Alright, spaghetti it is. So, we need to get some fresh basil and tomatoes,” he clicked his tongue while pushing the cart, looking around at the aisles. Daniel couldn’t help but smirk at the man.

“...Can you say that again?” he asked, looking at the brunette. Arty looked at him and furrowed his eyebrows.

“Hm? ...Basil?”

Daniel laughed. “Yes, you say it different. It’s _basil_.”

“Well now _you’re_ saying it funny,” Arty laughed. “Is that how you say it in Scotland? Basil?”

Daniel nodded, looking forward with a big smile as he listened to Arty. “Yes, we both say it different. I like how you say it, though.”

Looking at Daniel, Arty gasped and pat the teen’s cheek.

“You have dimples! Oh, that’s so cute! Are they on both cheeks?”

Daniel was going to look at Arty so that the man could see, but he dropped his smile when he noticed someone down the aisle staring at them. He seemed to be looking at Arty, though, so Daniel glanced at the man.

“Who’s that?” he asked, pointing. Arty looked in the direction. The other man tried to turn so that Arty couldn’t see him, but once he knew he was caught, he pulled a smile and started walking over.

“Er… that’s Uncle Henry; Jack’s brother,” Arty replied somewhat hesitantly, and Geil turned in the cart to look.

“Uncle Henry!” he squealed. The man came over to grab him, pulling him out of the cart.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite nephew!” Henry hugged Geil to him, the boy laughing in his arms. Then the man looked at Arty, his eyes grey and his hair blonde with fair skin. He must be Jack’s younger brother, because he looked almost as old as Arty.

Reaching out to take Geil, Arty gave a little smile. “Yeah, but we’ve got to get some basil-”

“I’ll get it,” Daniel cut in, looking at the men. Henry looked at the teen, raising his eyebrows.

“Are you the new adoptee? How cute,” he reached out to ruffle Daniel’s hair, but the teen ducked away, glancing at Arty.

“Can I get the basil?” he asked, looking at Arty’s hesitant blue eyes.

“...But you don’t know where it is.”

“I can find it.”

“Yeah Arty, he can find it,” Henry said through a smile, watching Arty while he held Geil. Arty glanced at the blonde before looking back at Daniel.

“...Okay.”

Daniel smiled at Arty to calm him before leaving down the aisle, keeping a distance from Henry. When he was out of the aisle, he turned into the next, walking to a spot with cereal boxes. Grabbing some, he moved them from the shelf and put them on the floor until there was just a single box blocking him from the adults.

“Here, Geil, go and find your brother,” Daniel could hear Henry say, but then Arty sounded, his voice harsh.

“No Geil, come here.” Then he gave a heavy sigh. “What do you want this time?”

“The same as every other time,” Henry laughed. “Come over again, I miss you.”

“It was _once_ -”

“I remember twice, especially that time at Halloween.” Henry sounded snarky, like he always got his way. Daniel moved the last cereal box and he could see Geil looking at some things on the shelf, a few steps behind Arty as the man talked to Henry, who was a little too close.

“When you drug me-”

Henry stepped closer and Arty tried pushing him back, but the blonde grabbed the other man’s wrist, making the brunette cry out and Geil look over.

“Daddy,” he turned to walk over and Arty pulled on his wrist, Henry letting him go with a smile.

“And two weeks ago. How’s the floor? Should I come over again?” Henry smirked at Arty but it was short-lived, the brunette spitting in Henry’s face and picking up Geil while the other man wiped his face with his coat sleeve.

Slipping Geil into the cart, Arty started pushing it and Daniel quickly started putting the boxes up before walking down the aisle.

When he reached the end, Arty accidentally bumped him with the cart, stopping and apologizing.

“Are you hurt?” Arty asked. Daniel shook his head, holding up his empty hands after a moment.

“I couldn’t find the basil,” he said.

Arty watched Daniel in confusion for a second before laughing and patting the teen’s head, shaking his own.

“It’s okay, we’ll find it.”

l.l

Jack was still at work, so Arty put his plate in the microwave, washing the dishes that he and the kids had used and putting them in the strainer to dry. Then he put Geil to bed, Daniel already asleep when he peeked into the teen’s bedroom.

Walking to his and Jack’s room, he stripped his shirt and tossed it into the laundry hamper, doing the same with his pants and boxers before taking a towel from the dresser and wrapping it around his waist, leaving the room and turning into the bathroom. Once inside, he pulled the towel off and hung it on the rack before stepping to the bathtub and sitting on the cold porcelain, reaching over to turn on the water.

He gave a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. After a short moment of thinking, he took the bath plug from the hanger and putting it over the drain, the water running over it warm.

Then he stood up and walked to his sink while the water filled up, looking at his reflection in the mirror.

His hair was growing out and he didn’t like his eyes. He dropped his gaze from the mirror, but in the sink he could see something near the drain. Reaching down, he picked up the white and looked at it.

It was one of his pills. He exhaled through his nose and dropped it back into the sink, turning on the water and running the pill down into the drain. Shutting off the water, he turned from the sink to see the bathroom door open, but there was no one there. Furrowing his eyebrows, he walked over to peer out.

“Jack?” he called, to no response. Walking back to his towel, he wrapped it around himself again and left the bathroom, walking to Geil’s room and peeking inside. The boy was asleep in his bed, his body sprawled and quiet snores coming from him.

Arty glanced down the empty hallway, at Daniel’s room. Shutting Geil’s door, he walked to the other room and cracked the door open, looking inside.

Daniel was lying on his side, his back to Arty as he slept facing the wall, blanket brought up to his shoulder.

“Daniel,” Arty whispered, watching the teen to see if he moved. “Are you awake?”

Daniel rolled onto his back, pulling his arm out of the blanket and resting it above his head as he slept, the only movements coming from his chest as he breathed.

Arty backed out of the room, slowly shutting the door again and looking down the hall in confusion. He turned from Daniel’s room and left back to the bathroom, shutting the door and locking it once inside, before hanging his towel back up and turning off the bath water, having risen a bit too much.

Daniel opened his eyes, looking up at his ceiling and smiling to himself, biting his lip.


	4. Chapter Four: The First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel goes to school and meets some not-so-promising people.

“That was good spaghetti last night,” Jack spoke up while pulling on his jacket in the kitchen, Arty leaning against the counter beside him and drinking coffee while the kids ate scrambled eggs and toast. Arty smiled and motioned to the table with his mug.

“The kids agreed on it, Daniel picked the basil.”

Jack nodded, eyebrows raised. “Wow, that must have been some trip.”

“We saw Uncle Henry!” Geil called through a mouth of eggs and Daniel glanced away so that he wouldn’t see the mushed food. Jack looked at Arty.

“Really?”

“Yeah, he just said hi.” Arty finished his coffee, pushing off of the counter to walk to the sink and put it in.

“Well, he’s always nice,” Jack said before looking down at his watch. He clapped his hands together before walking after Arty, grabbing him around the waist and pulling his body to him so that he could kiss him. “I’m gonna be late to work.”

Arty nodded, giving a small smile to Jack before pecking him on the lips. “Okay. Have a good day at work.” His voice was soft as he watched Jack, still being held by the man. His spouse seemed to notice, though, and he quirked an eyebrow.

“Are you okay?”

Arty nodded again, dropping his gaze. “I just… It’s my necklace.”

“You’ll find it, babe. I’ll even,” Jack let Arty go, patting his head and kissing his cheek, “Look when I get back. Okay?”

“...Okay.”

Jack watched Arty for a moment before sighing and dropping his hand from the brunette’s head to his butt, patting it. Arty laughed and swatted the man’s hand away. “Okay, I won’t mope.”

“Good.” Jack kissed Arty’s cheek again, the brunette turning his head so that their lips met. Then Jack walked to the kitchen table to pat Geil’s head.

“I’m off to work, kids,” he said, Geil turning in his seat to hug his dad. Daniel just looked over, smiling to the man.

“Good luck,” he said, making Jack laugh.

“Me? Good luck to _you_ \- it’s your first day of school, you know.” The man kissed Geil’s cheek before working himself away from the child’s hugging arms to Daniel, so that he could pat the teen’s head.

Daniel’s smile didn’t falter, the teen looking down at his plate. “I’m ready for it.”

“Good, because Arty has to take you in a few minutes unless you want to be tardy,” Jack said, stepping away from the table. “Alright, have a good day, kids.”

“You too, Daddy!”

“We’ll see you tonight,” Arty said, Jack nodding and waving to them all before turning and leaving so that he wouldn’t be too late. Arty went to the kids, taking their plates. “Go on and get your coats and shoes.”

Daniel helped Geil out of his seat and the two walked off, to their separate rooms. Daniel pulled on his coat and boots before looking at the backpack his new parents had gotten him. It was black with some green, just a normal pack. Putting it on his shoulders, he knelt in front of his bed and stuck his hand between the mattresses and grabbed the locket, pulling it out and stuffing it into his pants pocket.

“Come on, Danul,” Geil passed by Daniel’s room, some light books in his bag bouncing as he hurried.

“Dan _iel_ ,” Daniel muttered to himself as he stood, turning to his bedroom door.

l.l

Downstairs, Arty helped Geil zip and button his jacket. He glanced at the staircase passed the child to see if Daniel was coming down yet. He wasn’t.

“Come on, Daniel, you don’t want to be late!” he called, looking back at Geil and smiling. “Does he?”

The blonde child shook his head, smiling big in return. “Nope!”

“Daniel, I’m putting Geil in his car-seat! Come out when you’re ready!” Arty picked Geil up, looking at the staircase again before taking the younger son out.

The air was bitter, nipping their faces immediately as they walked outside. Hurrying to the family car, Arty opened the back door and put Geil in the back, in his seat so that he could start buckling him in.

“It’s cold!” Geil complained, shuddering in his seat. Arty chuckled lightly.

“I know- Daniel’s taking his time.” Making sure that the buckles were secure, Arty climbed out of the back seat and shut the door, moving to the driver’s so that he could start the car and turn on the heater.

The air ran cold for a few minutes before getting hot, Arty sighing at the warmth. He almost got out of the car again to get Daniel, but the teen suddenly came outside, a paper bag in his hand at his side.

Walking to the car, Daniel got in the passenger’s side, shutting his door and putting the bag in his lap. Arty looked at him, surprised.

“Did you make your own lunch?”

“Yes.”

“...Wow. Sorry- I thought you would want to eat the school’s lunch.” Arty started the car, pulling out and onto the road. Daniel shifted in his seat.

“I thought I was supposed to,” the teen said quietly.

“Well, not really. But if you want to start taking your own lunch, then I can start packing it.” Arty glanced at Daniel while driving. The teen seemed to just be watching the road. After a moment of them driving, he nodded.

“Alright, I’d like to take my own lunches.”

“I want to take mine!” Geil called from the back seat and Arty chuckled at them both.

“Okay, we can do that. Right now, let’s try and get to school on time.”

Since they were out in the country, Arty accelerated the car's speed, which prompted Geil to get excited. Daniel made sure that his seat belt was secure.

“How long of a drive is it to the school?” Daniel asked.

“Well, it's about fifteen minutes to the city, and then a little over ten more for the school because of morning traffic.”

The teen looked back at Geil, who was now looking out the side window.

Looking back at Arty, Daniel asked, “Geil doesn't pay much attention to things, does he?”

Arty glanced at Daniel, an eyebrow raised, and he shrugged. “Mm, no, not really. He has some attention difficulties, so he sort of goes in and out when he wants,” he answered.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.. You like the radio?”

l.l

Parking in front of the high school, Arty turned in his seat to Daniel, smiling. “Ready for your first day?”

Daniel looked outside, at all of the kids hurrying to classes and play fighting- roughhousing. Then he looked back at Arty, pointing back at Geil.

“Is he not coming?” he asked.

“Uh, no- he has a special school he goes to. But hey, you'll be okay,” Arty reached out to pat Daniel's shoulder, the teen watching him.

“...Are you sure?” He hadn't been to school in two years- the orphanage had its own learning program. Daniel would be a freshman, going into his ninth year… here.

Arty scoffed and ruffled Daniel's hair. “Of course! I mean, who doesn't love accents! You're gonna have all sorts of girls after you, trust me. I'm gonna have to spray them with the water hose, they'll be following you home.” He smiled, softly. “You're gonna be okay.”

Daniel looked out the car again, at the students. A bigger kid grabbed another's shirt, pulling it up over their head and blinding them. Daniel let out a breath and looked back at Arty.

“Alright. Where do I go, exactly?”

“Well, see those front doors? To the right is the office, and I already talked to the school about giving you a guide. Do you need me to come with you? I can grab Geil-”

“No, it's fine.” Daniel opened his door, stepping out and holding his lunch.

“Okay, well, good luck. Say “Bye, Daniel”,” Arty said to Geil, looking back at the boy. The child leaned forward in his car-seat.

“Bye bye, Danul!”

Daniel didn't bother forcing a smile to the child, simply waving to both and smiling at Arty.

“Bye.” He shut his door, leaving the car to walk up to the front doors.

“ _To the right is the office..”_

Once inside, Daniel looked to the right. There was a hallway that, above, said MAIN OFFICE. Walking to it, the teen looked around.

The school seemed to be under construction, the walls bare with dusty plastic on the floor beside them. There was an unattended ladder beside an open ceiling, surrounded by CAUTION tape.

Walking down a slight curve in the hallway, Daniel finally came across the office, which had windows with closed blinds and a few chairs outside. The office door was closed.

Stepping to the chairs, the teen sat in one to wait.

There was indistinct talking from inside the office, like someone was in trouble and begging for their parents to not be called. After about ten minutes, the door finally opened to a man and teen, the younger wiping his damp eyes. Daniel looked up at the man as the teen left down the hallway.

“Hello,” he spoke, getting the man's attention. The man snapped his fingers and pointed.

“Mason kid, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Come on in, then.”

The man looked like he went to the gym regularly, like an angry muscle head gym coach. His attitude was charismatic, though, and he smiled to Daniel when sitting at the principal's desk. This was the principal. A muscle head.

“Go on, take a seat,” he said, his voice sort of loud. He should be the gym coach.

Daniel sat in the chair before the desk.

“So, what's your name?” Muscle Head asked, putting his hands on his desk and lacing his fingers together.

“Daniel. Mason. Daniel Mason.”

“Okay…” Muscle Head unlinked his fingers, grabbing some glasses from the edge of the desk and putting them on before looking at a file in front of him. Grabbing it and looking at it, he put it aside and looked at the one under it. This one, he opened.

“Ah. Freshman.” He pointed at the file, reading it. Daniel just watched him, his lunch in his lap.

Looking up, Muscle Head looked at Daniel through squinty eyes, like he couldn't see even with the glasses on.

“Know why they call them Freshman, freshman?”

“No, sir.”

“Because their fresh _meat_. Fresh _meat_.” Muscle Head pointed at him. “That's why, if anyone says anything wrong, or _does_ anything wrong, you come here and tell me. I don't like bully's, more than they don't like snitches. Understand?”

No, Daniel didn't understand. Muscle Head spoke in riddles and Daniel didn't care to understand. He simply nodded.

“I will,” he replied. Then Muscle Head put a thick finger onto a button, and he spoke into a speaker.

“Laura Givens, come to the office.” He let go of the button, crossing his fingers again and looking at Daniel.

“Miss Givens is gonna walk through that door in a few minutes, and she's gonna give you a tour of the high school. She's a top student, so you'll have a good time. Right?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now, other than that, this is your list of classes- don't lose it, since it has your classroom numbers.” Uncrossing his fingers once again, Muscle Head grabbed a paper from the folder and held it out. Daniel took it, looking at it.

It listed English, mathematics, science, foreign language, history, and… art.

“I understand you haven't been around long, so your parent picked your classes for you. School starts at eight; if you're late, you come here and get a late pass. Lunch is at noon, but I see you brought your own. And, school ends at three forty. Any questions?”

“...No, sir.”

“Good. Now, my principal always used to tell me: “Early is on time, and on time is-””

“Late.”

“Very good, Mason. You'll fit in fine, here.”

A minute later, Laura came in. She was blonde, but her hair wasn't as pale as Geil’s Norwegian. Looking at Daniel with brown eyes, she smiled.

“Hi, are you the new student?”

l.l

The tour went well. A few of Daniel's classes were all in hallway L, which was great. The others, art and science, were in M, which was a building outside. History was in H, a single building outside.

The only thing annoying, was that Laura seemed to grow to Daniel's hip. She walked incessantly close to him and she would say something and giggle, like she wanted him to laugh with her. He stayed straight faced, though, memorizing the hallways.

“So, you're from the UK?” she asked, peering at Daniel. The male teen glanced at her.

“Yes,” he said simply.

“Where?”

“Scotland.”

“ _Where_ in Scotland?”

“Edinburgh.”

Laura gasped before laughing in amazement. “That's so cool! Can you say it again?”

Daniel closed his eyes for a moment, calming himself, before looking back down the hall and repeating it. “Edinburgh.”

“Wow, you have a _really_ lovely voice.”

He knew it wasn't necessarily his voice, but his accent, rather. He had a relatively normal voice besides it's slightly lower pitch, his body already passing through puberty.

“So, why did you move here? Oh, and there's the student lounge, you can go there if you finish lunch early and don't have anything to do. I don't recommend it though, because Morrison and his friends hang out there,” the girl pointed to an empty area with chairs and a phone charging station. Daniel quirked an eyebrow.

“Morrison?”

“Oh yeah, he's a bully. I would just… stay away, if I was you.”

“Why? What does he do?” Daniel looked at Laura. She flushed at his gaze, but shrugged.

“He just, beats kids up. I think it's because of his eye, he's probably really self conscious about it.”

Daniel furrowed his eyebrows. “What's wrong with his eye?”

“Well, it's still up for debate, but my aunt is a nurse and helped with the surgery. His uncle attacked his mom and he intervened- lost his eyeball from head damage.” Laura shook her head. “He won't even tell his friends.”

“Do you like him?” Daniel asked, making the girl stop in her tracks and gawk.

“What?”

Daniel stopped walking to look at the girl. “Do you like him,” he repeated.

“No, no I heard you, but _what_? What gave you that idea?” She laughed.

“You just seem to know some about him. Like, an investment.”

“An _investment_? Wow, you have some vocabulary. Do _you_ like someone?” she countered, crossing her arms while smiling at him.

“No,” he replied. She scoffed.

“You don't have any “investments”?”

“No. I invest in secrets.”

“You're… odd. What kind of secrets?”

“I imagine what sort of secrets people are hiding.”

“Hm. What secrets do _I_ have?”

“You won't be happy,” Daniel warned simply. Laura laughed and pushed him playfully.

“Come on, give me a guess.”

Daniel watched her for a moment before shrugging. “Okay.” He looked her over, from head to toe.

Her hair was yellow, from how blonde it was. She had some light freckles that she was probably born with, because the sun didn't come around these parts. Her nose had a slight crook in it, as though she had been struck once and it stayed. And her lips were uneven, but still natural and pink. Her clothes looked nice, but they had their own niceness to them- probably from a thrift shop.

Looking into her eyes, Daniel watched the brown orbs that switched from both of his. Her eyes looked small, like there was something haunting her deep inside.

“I think you secretly want a nose job,” Daniel finally spoke, and it took a quiet moment before Laura laughed, like she had been holding her breath.

“You're a bullshitter, you know that?”

Daniel shrugged. Of course, he didn't tell her what he really thought, because then she wouldn't talk to him again; and he thought he could use her.

Once the tour was over, it was lunch. The reason it took so long, was because Laura extended the tour to the football field and the theater room. And, because she wanted to skip a few hours, so she used the tour as an excuse- and time to connect with Daniel, though he was relatively quiet.

Now, in the lunchroom, Daniel sat at a table with her, who had a plate of the school's lunch.

“This is a sloppy joe,” she said to him, pointing at her sandwich, and he gave her a look.

“I know.”

Laura rose her hands in defense with a smile. “Just making sure. So, what did you bring?” She looked at Daniel's bag, the teen setting it in front of him so that he could open it. Before he did, though, there was a voice from behind him, that made him pause.

“Who's this, huh? New kid?” the voice spoke.

Laura frowned. “Leave him alone, Morrison. How did you even find us?” She looked around the full cafeteria, actually amazed, since she had never sat at this table before. Morrison moved to sit beside Daniel and two more boys followed pursuit. One of the three stank, and Daniel lost his appetite.

“What'd you bring, new kid?” Morrison grabbed Daniel's bag, tilting it upside down and shaking out the contents.

It was: a PB&J sandwich, an apple, a banana, a bottle of water, some pretzels, a thermos of tea, and some butter crackers.

“What the hell’s in here?” Morrison grabbed the thermos, shaking it. Daniel didn't answer him, just looking off in the cafeteria. Until he was smacked upside the head.

“I said what's in this!” Morrison yelled at him, and Laura reached out to try grabbing it.

“It's _his_ , leave him alone!”

“Tea,” Daniel finally replied, looking at Morrison. Laura wasn't lying about his eye- its Iris was smaller than his natural, and it didn't exactly follow the other as it moved to look at Daniel.

Morrison grinned in excitement. “Say that again?”

“It. Is. Tea.”

“What's wrong with your voice? You got a stutter or some shit?”

“He's Scottish! From Scotland?” Laura scoffed, looking at Morrison like he was an idiot. The bully just scoffed himself.

“What the hell is he doing here? What are you doing here, huh?” He looked at Daniel. The foreign teen moved to stand up, but one of the other boys kept him down. Morrison grabbed the water and opened it, drinking it.

“That's good,” he commented, and Laura just looked at Daniel in apology. “And this is a nice thermos.” He grabbed the thermos, opening it and dumping the tea on the floor, the liquid coming back up and splashing the teens’ feet.

l.l

Morrison stole the thermos and turned out to be in Daniel's science class after lunch. That meant two hours with the bully. Laura wasn't in any of Daniel's classes, but she vowed to go to his house sometime and sit with him at lunch.

Finally, though, school was over.

Daniel walked outside, getting shoved for the umpteenth time by a kid running to the bus. He really was, relatively tired. This school day was exhausting.

Stepping down the front steps, the teen looked for Arty's car, a silver Honda. After a few minutes, it finally came into view and Arty got out, looking around for Daniel. The teen spotted him first and started walking over, his footsteps getting Arty's attention.

“Daniel!” The man smiled. “How was it?”

“Alright, like you said.”

“That's good- very good. Did you make any friends?” Arty asked as they both got into the car. Geil was asleep in the back, a blanket draped over his lap.

Daniel nodded. “I did.”

Arty waited, giving Daniel time to tell him more, but when the teen didn't, he motioned. “A-nd what's their name!”

“Um, Laura.” Daniel did his seat belt. Arty gave a sly smile, patting Daniel's shoulder.

“I _told_ you I'd need the waterhose.”

Daniel sat back in his seat, closing his eyes. He was tired.


	5. Chapter Five: Tired Eyes

Since it was only Monday, Jack would be home late. Only on Wednesdays and Thursdays could he be early.

“Daniel, could you get the front door?” Arty asked, unbuckling Geil so that he could carry him inside. The teen nodded, walking to the front door and opening it.

Waiting at the porch, Daniel didn't go inside until Arty did, following the man in and shutting the door to keep out the cold.

“What time does he get out of school?” he asked Arty of Geil, and the man glanced at him while walking to the stairs.

“About three fifteen. I decided that I would just take him to the park until your school ends, and that way I won't be late picking you up or anything. That's why he's so tuckered out,” the man replied with a smile. Daniel nodded, understanding. Then, he raced Arty to the stairs.

“Let me help you with him,” he said, on the second step. Arty laughed softly.

“Okay.”

Daniel kept up the stairs, turning down the hall to Geil's room and opening the door for Arty. The man came eventually, taking Geil to his bed and laying him down.

“Would you mind pulling his shoes off?” Arty asked while undoing the child's jacket. Daniel nodded, walking to the foot of the bed. Geil's shoes were Velcro, so the teen just slipped the off; to avoid waking the child up. Looking up at Arty, the man had undone the jacket's buttons and was onto the zipper. His face was soft, his expression kind. He was truly beautiful.

His lips were full, naturally, and his nose was long and straight, untouched by any damage, and his eyelashes were long.

Then he looked at Daniel and smiled, his mouth wrinkling slightly at the ages from when he would smoke as a teen.

“Thank you,” he said happily before pulling one of Geil's small arms out of his jacket. Then he did the other and pulled the coat from underneath the boy, balling it in his arms. Daniel grabbed the blanket and pulled it up over Geil, covering him up before looking at Arty again. He really didn't stop moving, already going to a small drawing table of Geil's and draping the cost over the back of the chair. Then he grabbed some stray pencils and put them in the pencil cup.

This seemed to spark a thought in Arty, and he looked at Daniel.

“Have you started painting yet?” he asked. Daniel gave a slight shake of his head.

“No, I don't feel… right.”

“What do you mean? This is your house, do what you want! Here, let's go and check it out.” Arty waved Daniel over, walking to the bedroom door to leave. The teen followed.

Walking to the art room, Arty opened the door wide before stepping inside, allowing Daniel to stand next to him. The teen stepped close enough that he could smell Arty, the adult smelling briefly like soft Axe and soap. It was light, airy.

Then Arty left him, though, walking further into the room and looking around at the supplies. There were two easels, one with a canvas, covered by a white sheet, and the other empty and slightly dusty.

Besides those, the room was cluttered with canvases leaning against each other and the walls, backwards so that what was painted on them couldn't be seen. There was a glass shelf full of different paints- acrylic, oil, water based, and there was even some pastel chalks. There were two pallets, one _filled_ in paint, and the other slightly used.

Arty looked at Daniel, grinning excitedly. “Jack hasn't been in here since his last promotion and it's been driving me insane. Come on in, take a look at things!”

Daniel stepped further inside, looking around. It was an impressive room- disorganized in an artist's excessiveness. Walking to the covered easel, the teen pulled the sheet off to look at the canvas underneath.

It was an abstract art, full of dark and dull colors. It looked as though there was a pale sky, with dark scratch marks and lines all over it. Daniel looked at Arty, who was already looking over.

“... Jack's youngest son came to stay with us, to help with his college fees. Then he, uh…” Arty pressed his lips together, bringing a hand up to rub his neck as he looked at the unfinished work. Daniel simply watched him, the man looking… distressed.

“It's alright, Arty,” the teen said, turning his gaze back to the painting. It felt like it was… screaming.

Daniel covered it back up, cutting their view of it short. Then he spoke up, “I'll paint in here.”

l.l

Arty made chicken soup for dinner, since Geil seemed to be getting a cold. Daniel hadn't left the art room since Arty talked him into it, so the man was cooking alone while Geil lay on the living room couch watching television.

For dinner, Arty used egg noodles and fresh vegetables that he bought when last shopping. While stirring the soup, his phone went off and he pulled it from his pocket to look. It was a text from Sandra.

Mom: I have some clothes for the boys.

Arty: ok.

Mom: I'll bring them tomorrow.

Arty didn’t answer, because she was frustrating. Instead, he put his phone back in his pocket and looked at the soup again.

“Just a little longer!” he called to Geil, giving the soup another stir before putting the lid over. Then he walked to the living room, going to the couch to peer over at his son. The boy was watching TV with an arm under his head, lying on his side. Arty grabbed some stray hair from the child’s cheek and pulled it back, tucking it behind his ear. Geil didn’t respond or anything, blinking while watching television.

Upstairs, Daniel peeked at a few other paintings by Jack. There was a variety: impressionism, abstract, portrait. There was a portrait of Arty, hidden far behind a stack of canvases. He looked innocent and angelic- young. He looked to be in his early twenties, looking off while covered in white drapes. It was an oil painting, and it looked as fresh as when it was first made: Aug. 2nd, according to the date at the bottom right corner.

Looking back at his own work in progress, it was a rough sketch of Arty now, the way Daniel had seen him in Geil's room- a replica of his expression. He didn't look too different from his younger self, besides his hair and eyes, the orbs appearing to age with worry that he mastered concealing.

Walking back to his sketch, Daniel started painting the background; pale, light colors.

“Daniel! Dinner's ready!” Arty called up the stairs from the bottom. He looked at Geil when he heard the boy get up, and then the blonde stumbled, so Arty ran over to pick him up.

“Hurry!” he called again, looking at Geil. “You okay, kiddo?”

Geil nodded, despite his puffy eyes of sneezing and coughing. “Yeah.”

“Well, let's just eat in here.” Arty took Geil back to the couch, sitting the boy and covering him up again. After petting the child's head, he left to the kitchen to get their bowls.

“Dan-iel!” The man called once more, walking to Geil and placing his bowl in his lap. He went back to the kitchen, grabbing a few ice cubes and taking them to drop them into Geil's bowl, to help cool the soup down some.

Geil pushed the ice under the broth with his spoon.

“I'm gonna go get Daniel-”

“No, stay,” Geil whined, his voice hoarse. Arty sighed.

“Okay, baby.” Arty sat beside Geil with his own bowl, putting a hand on the boys head and smiling to him. “What are we watching?”

l.l

Jack came home. Usually, he went to the kitchen first to get dinner, but this time, he got stopped by the television flashing. Raising an eyebrow, the man took his cost off, hanging it up, before walking to the TV to turn it off. Then he heard a snore and looked at the couch.

Arty and Geil were asleep, Arty slumped against the arm and Geil lying down with his head in his dad's lap. Their soup bowls were empty beside them.

Laughing silently to himself, Jack shook his head and grabbed the bowls, taking them to the kitchen sink.

The pot of soup was still on the oven, staying warm, so Jack turned the stove off and poured the soup into a plastic container before putting it in the fridge. Then he took the pot to the sink, filling it with hot water to soak.

Stretching, he groaned to himself, rolling his stiff neck to work out the kinks. Working twelve hours a day at the law firm was exhausting.

He would get some soup, would love to because Arty was skilled in cooking, but he was too tired. There was a birthday that had to be celebrated at work today, and just looking at all of the junk food made him sick. He never was a fan of sweets, not since his kids lived off of them from his ex-wife back in the day.

Turning from the kitchen, he went back to the living room and picked Geil up, wrapping him in his blanket.

“Arty,” he whispered to the sleeping man, who didn't stir. “Arty, wake up.” He nudged his spouse's leg with his knee and the brunette moaned in sleepiness, his eyes opening slightly and looking at Jack.

He groaned. “What time is it?”

“Almost eleven. Come on to bed.”

Arty drowsily pat the couch beside him and Jack chuckled. “I've got him. Come on.” He turned from Arty, going to the stairs with Geil.

Stepping up with his tired feet, he carried Geil to his room and put him in bed, covering him up with another blanket. Then he left the bedroom, shutting the door.

He knew from his years of marriage to Arty that the man was probably still asleep on the couch. Heading to the stairs, he heard a soft sound from inside the art room and looked at the door.

Through the door’s under, he could see a light on inside.

Knocking on the door, Jack put his ear to it.

“Yes?” Daniel sounded from inside.

Jack cleared his throat. “Painting?”

“Yes.”

“Well, don't stay up too late.”

“I won't.”

Jack nodded, because he just wasn't that talkative. He was… socially awkward.

He turned from the room and left back downstairs, to the couch where Arty hadn't moved from.

“Art, get up.” He flicked some hair from the brunette's face, making him open his eyes again, tiredly.

Arty held his hands out and Jack took them, pulling the younger man to his feet.

“Carry me,” Arty whined, making Jack roll his eyes.

“You're old enough, walk.”

“Ba-be..”

Jack sighed but gave in, picking his husband up bridal style. “There's no way you're really this tired.”

“I _am_ though.”

From inside the art room, Daniel could hear Arty and Jack's distinct voices.

“You've gained weight, haven't you?” Jack joked, and Arty scoffed.

“Jacob Laurence Mason, I know you didn't just say that!”

“I know you didn't just say _that_.”

Arty's laugh echoed down the hall as their voices trailed away, and Daniel looked at the art door from his painting.

He could hear a bedroom door shut, and he was sure they were probably going to have sex. The teen turned his gaze back to his painting, sighing while looking at Arty's painted eyes.

l.l

In the morning, Daniel wasn't in bed.

“Daniel! Where are you?” Arty called, walking down the hallway. He looked in the bathroom, downstairs, the kitchen, outside- _then_ , he checked the art room.

Opening the door, the man peered inside with his blue eyes.

“Daniel?” he asked.

“Yes?” Daniel looked at the door from his canvas and Arty sighed in relief.

“Jeez, you scared me! You didn't stay up all night, did you?”

Daniel smiled. “No, that wouldn’t necessarily be wise.” He had, though. He had lost track of time. He was a good liar, despit.

Arty huffed and waved the teen over. “Well, come on for school- Geil's sick, so he'll be staying home.”

“Does that mean you'll be late?” Daniel tossed a sheet over his painting, walking to Arty. The older man blinked and furrowed his eyebrows.

“Late for what?”

“Picking me up. Since you aren't going to stay in the city with Geil.”

“Oh, no! No, I'll be _right_ on time, I promise.” Arty pat Daniel's head, his fingers long and slender, but soft. It was a comforting feeling.

“Come on, I made your lunch.” The comfort was quick to leave as Arty turned from Daniel, hurrying to the stairs. It made the teen a little upset.

“I'll be there in a minute,” he called after his “father”, going to his bedroom. Once in there, he changed his clothes and put on his shoes and jacket before looking at his reflection in a mirror.

His eyes looked wide from his night of no sleep, and he had some paint on his fingers.

“Damn.”

l.l

“Daniel-”

“Leave the boy alone, he's probably in the bathroom,” Jack said from the kitchen table, where he ate a slice of toast. Arty frowned.

“I just don't want him to be late.”

“He'll be fine.” Jack said to Arty, waving his toast slightly. Then he looked at his watch, and he breathed through his nose. “Speaking of late-” he put the toast down, standing and hurrying to Arty, who pouted.

“Someday that law firm is going to _burn_.”

Jack laughed, pecking Arty on the mouth. “Hopefully when I'm not in it. Hey,” he touched the brunette's chin lightly. “Tomorrow's Wednesday.”

Arty seemed to visibly perk up. “Alright, go on to work then.” He kissed Jack, who smiled into it. Then he turned, leaving for work. Since he left his toast and Daniel was taking his time, Arty walked to the table and took the warm slice, finishing it while leaning on the wooden top.

“Kiddo!” He called through a mouth of toast, looking at the kitchen doorway.

After a moment, Daniel came into the kitchen, ready for school. Arty pointed.

“Here's your breakfast, and your lunch is on the counter.”

Daniel nodded, stepping to his breakfast of an omelet and bacon. “Is Geil staying home while you drive me?” he asked, since Geil wasn't present. Arty shook his head.

“I hired a babysitter, she should be here in a little bit.”

“Oh. Arty, can I ask you for something?” Daniel looked at the man, who perked up at the opportunity to give.

“Sure! Ask away.”

“Could I have an audio recorder? Or a video recorder?”

Arty laughed. “Um, why?”

“It helps me study, hearing things again.”

“Oh. Well, yeah! I think I have a voice recorder from college,” Arty wandered out of the kitchen and Daniel ultimately followed, wanting to talk to him more.

“What did you go to college for?” he asked, following Arty to the room that Geil didn't know what was. It became apparent as Arty opened it though, that it was storage.

“Oh, this and that. Nursing, some teaching, business.”

“...Why aren't you doing any of those, then?’

“Because,” Arty strained as he tried moving a heavy box, “It didn't work out. I did tutoring and nursing for a while, but kids aren't really… fond of homosexuals. And nursing was stressful, seeing people sad all of the time, and in pain.” He managed to move the box, and he started looking in the one that it was covering.

It upset Daniel, because Arty looked like he would love those things. Then he was startled, though, when the man cackled.

“I found it!” He raised his hand, holding an old recorder. Daniel laughed.

“You scared me.”

“Oh, did I? Whoops. Here!” Arty stood from the floor, walking to Daniel and holding it out. “I used it to record seminars in college- have fun with it!”

Daniel took it, looking it over. It looked a little older, but it was in fine condition otherwise. Daniel smiled. “Thank you, Arty.”

“It's nothing. Hey, do you want me to put it in your bag?” Arty stepped behind Daniel, unzipping his backpack. Since it seemed wrong to tell him no, Daniel held the recorder back, letting Arty take it.

Their fingers touched. Daniel held the recorder a moment longer, to savor the moment. Arty didn't notice, because his mind was stuck on the idea of just helping out. Daniel finally let him have it.

Putting the recorder in the bag, Arty zipped it shut before patting the teen’s head.

“There we go! Come on, let's see if the sitter's here.”

Daniel turned to face Arty. “I do mean it, thank you, for this,” he said. Arty waved him off.

“You live here now- if you ever want something, I probably already have it in here. Just take a look sometime!” A box seemed to fall over on que, making Arty get meek. “Just uh, don't let anything fall on you. I'm a clutter.” Clearing his throat to make a show out of the whole thing, the man spun on his heel to leave the room.

If he was so energetic now, what was he like as a teenager? Daniel followed the man out, walking down the stairs.

He lied and told Arty that he had finished his breakfast, so that they could leave earlier. The sitter came while Arty was heating up the car, so he and Daniel left after Arty greeted and thanked the woman for coming.

Then they drove to school.

The drive was quiet, because neither really knew what to say, so Arty turned on the radio. The music must have sparked something in Arty, because then, the man spoke up.

“What do you like listening to?” he asked. Daniel glanced at him.

“Nothing much.”

“...Oh.”

“Well, I fancy your singing.”

Arty laughed. “Daniel, that's not music- trust me.”

“I beg to differ. You're just being modest.” This made Arty laugh even more, leaning on the wheel and looking at Daniel.

“What's with you today? Jokester much? That girl's in for something, I'll tell you that!”

Daniel furrowed his eyebrows, looking at Arty. “What girl?”

Arty motioned. “That Laura girl. Laura, right? Your new potential _girlfriend_.” He nudged Daniel with his elbow, who just watched him.

“I don't want to date her.”

“Okay, mister Macho, forget I said anything. I'm just _teasing_ , kiddo.” Arty smiled to Daniel, the teen looking back to the road.

“Okay.”

When the got to the school, they were early.

“I'll be here when you're out,” Arty said, waving to Daniel as the teen got out of the car. He nodded, shutting his door and going up the front steps to the doors.

Immediately as soon as he got inside, Laura was on his hip.

“Hey! You're back!” she said like he had moved. “Who was in the car back there? Your brother?”

Daniel looked at her with his tired eyes, quirking an eyebrow. “What?”

“The...guy- hey, what's wrong with your eyes? Sleep much?” She brought a hand up to poke his face, but he pushed her hand away before she could.

“I've got to go to class,” he said and she nodded, crossing her arms.

“...Okay. I'll see you at lunch!”

Daniel waved to her, walking to his first hour. In the left hall, he could hear Morrison and his goons.

“Hey, this thing says “Arty”,” one of Morrison's friends said, and Daniel stopped walking.

“What? Bullshit,” Morrison sounded. “Give it to me.”

“What the hell kinda name is that?” One asked.

“Fuck if I know. Joe, get me a marker,” Morrison.

“You're keeping it?” The first asked, Joe.

“Yeah, it's a nice thermos,” Morrison said.

Daniel dropped his head back to look up at the ceiling. He hadn't known it was Arty's thermos. Damn.

l.l

When Arty got home, he paid the sitter, Jessica, seventy dollars.

“Thanks again,” he said to her as she walked outside. She smiled and waved.

“I can come again!”

“Well, I'm counting on it,” Arty laughed. He was, because Geil would probably have to stay home tomorrow, too. When the front door was shut, Arty flopped onto the couch, putting an arm over his forehead and looking up at the ceiling.

He hadn't really gotten much sleep last night. Mainly because of his nap with Geil. That, and the fact that he always had a hard time sleeping after nine o'clock.

He sighed and pulled his phone from his pocket, texting his mom.

Arty: what time are you coming?

Mom: About noon

Arty: can you bring some milk

Mom: Yes.

Arty closed his eyes.

 _She's coming at noon_. He would nap until noon, so that he could get some rest in for the day. He always hated being tired more than he hated being an insomniac. That was why he didn't take his medicine- it made him groggy, and then he couldn't wake up.

“Arthur, wake up.” Sandra set her bags of clothes on the floor beside the couch, looking at her son. She inhaled deeply through her nose and put a hand on her hip. “Arthur Grey, _get up_.”

Arty opened his eyes, giving her a look. His grogginess made him look upset. Sandra clicked her tongue and looked at the bags.

“I brought the clothes for the boys, and I put the milk in your refrigerator.”

“What time is it?”

Sandra looked at him again, spurned, as though he had said something wrong. Because he had- he didn't say “thank you” first. She shook her head and looked at her wrist watch.

“It's three fifteen, why?”

Arty's eyes went wide. “You're fucking kidding me.”

“Language.”

Arty jumped up from the couch, looking at his phone’s time. His mom was no liar, it was three fifteen. “Mom, why didn't you wake me up!”

“I just got here, Arthur. I had a meeting with a client, and there was a detour; I know, I'm very late.”

“No, _Mom_! Daniel gets out at three forty- it's a forty minute drive there- shit!” Arty ran for the front door. “Watch Geil, please!”

l.l

School went well, besides Daniel's body trying to shut down for sleep mode. He managed to stay awake, though, and didn't see Morrison besides science class, but they were in groups and he didn't see Daniel.

Stepping outside of school after the bell rang, Daniel looked around for Arty's car. He looked three times, because he thought he may have overlooked it. It became apparent after a while, though, that he hadn't. Arty wasn't there.

After ten minutes of waiting, the school doors opened and Morrison and his friends came out. They saw him.


	6. Chapter Six: Blue Lips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel has a plan for Morrison, and Jack finally opens up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are past tense.

“ _Eat it! Get down there!” Joe shoved Daniel down, the foreign teen keeping his mouth shut._

“ _Go on, eat it.” Morrison stood in front of Daniel, holding Arty's thermos._

“ _Wait, a_ _m_ _I supposed to record this?”_ _t_ _he third wheel, Kaiden, asked. Joe scoffed from over Daniel, his foot on the teen's back, keeping him grounded._

“ _Yeah!” he exclaimed._

Daniel brushed his teeth at home, brushing so hard that it was the only thing he could hear.

_Daniel looked down, at the dead bird that lay beneath him, for him to “eat”. Then he looked up at Morrison, who was watching him with a sneer, his fake eye making his expression look off._

“ _Go on,” he said. “Eat it.” He rose the thermos, drinking whatever it was that he had in it. There was a laugh, and then Daniel was kicked in the head._

Daniel spat into the sink, bracing his hands on the porcelain. He stayed like that for a second, just breathing, the toothpaste in his mouth burning. Then he turned on the sink faucet, running his toothbrush under the water to rinse it before putting it up. Scooping water into his hand, he brought it to his mouth, rinsing it and spitting into the sink.

He looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes grey underneath.

“ _I'm_ sorry _, Daniel- I didn't mean to get up so late; I meant to be_ on time _!” Arty said to Daniel as he drove him home, the teen looking out the windshield. He didn't let Arty know what happened, just that he was upset for being left._

“ _I was supposed to be there,” Arty sighed, shaking his head and mentally strangling himself._

Daniel tilted his head, watching his reflection. There was a forming bruise on his skull beneath his left ear, spreading to his neck.

Leaving the bathroom to the storage room, he could hear Arty and Jack in their bedroom.

“It was his second day, Jack- I _promised_ I wouldn't be late and I was,” Arty sounded, distressed.

“Hey, you didn't mean it, I'm sure Daniel knows you didn't mean it. That is a very specific promise, though. It's bad luck, I'm telling you.” Jack knew from experience that the phrase “I promise I won't be late” was a wedding ring for misfortune. He had to be late seven times before he deemed it evil and stopped promising it. Now, he said “I'll try”.

“But I just-” Arty's words stopped, meaning that Jack was probably trying to calm him down. Instead of listening further, Daniel went into the storage room and flipped on the light, looking at the boxes. The box that the recorder came out of said “old tech”, so the teen knelt to look inside.

There was an old typewriter, some video cassette tapes, old speakers, and what Daniel was looking for. A camera. It wasn't digital, but a Polaroid would do.

Pulling it out of the box, he checked it to see if it was working. Taking a picture of the room, the camera shot out a picture, and he looked at it after waiting for it to appear.

It worked.

Walking back to the bathroom, Daniel took a photograph of the bruise.

l.l

Arty knocked on Daniel's bedroom door, the teen rolling in bed to look at him.

“Hey, it's uh, time for school,” the man said. Daniel sat up in bed.

“It's Wednesday?”

“Yeah.. I'm thinking…” Arty walked into the room, sitting on the edge of Daniel's bed. “We're gonna tell Jack to skip working out, and that way we can all… watch a movie or something. Like, at the theaters.” He smiled at Daniel, his eyes saying that he was still upset about yesterday. Daniel smiled.

“That sounds nice,” he said, his smile already making Arty perk up.

“Really? We aren't harboring grudges, or anything?”

“I'd never hate you, Arty.”

“Thanks, bud.” Arty stood, holding out a hand to the teen. “Come on, let's get going.”

Daniel took the hand, looking up into Arty's shining blue eyes. “Alright.”

l.l

The sitter was there, knocking on the door. Arty looked back at Daniel while opening it.

“Did you finish your breakfast? We're about to head out.” He opened the front door, looking at the babysitter. “Hi!” he greeted.

Daniel turned into the kitchen, walking to his lunch bag and peeking inside. There was a grilled cheese sandwich wrapped in tin foil to stay warm, strawberries, orange slices, a bottle of fruit juice, and a yogurt. He could hear Arty chatting with the sitter, laughing at something.

Walking away from the bag, Daniel went and grabbed a water bottle, opening it and setting it on the kitchen counter. Pulling Arty's necklace from his pants pocket, the teen opened it and pulled out a pill. Putting the small pill on the counter, Daniel placed the water bottle’s cap flat over it before smashing it down, breaking the pill into crumbs.

He then grabbed the water bottle and brought it to the side of the counter, so that he could dust the pill into the nozzle. Once he got it all in, he put the lid back on and shook the bottle, mixing the powder and water together.

“Okay, thank you again for coming,” Arty said the to sitter from the living room. “Daniel, hurry up!”

Daniel took the bottle to his lunch bag, putting it inside and taking it with him to the front door. The sitter was currently taking her jacket off, hanging it up. She had dark hair and looked young, like a college student.

“Oh, I thought he was younger!” she said to Arty after looking at Daniel. The man shook his head, patting Daniel's head.

“Nope, he's the big brother.”

Jessica looked at Daniel again, her gaze dropping down his body. He looked at Arty.

“We should go,” he said, aware of the girl's gaze. Arty blinked and nodded, patting his pocket for the car keys.

“Yep, we should! Alright, I'll be back in a bit to pay you,” he waved to Jessica, heading outside. Daniel followed, Jessica calling after them a “Bye, see you then!”

Once they were in the car, Daniel looked at Arty, who had just put the key in and was turning it in the ignition to start it.

“I don’t think I like her,” the teen said and Arty immediately burst into a sputtering laugh.

“What?” he looked at Daniel, an eyebrow quirked. Daniel simply repeated.

“I don’t think I like her.”

“Well, I heard what you said, but… really? She’s so nice.”

“Yeah. I don’t like her.”

“...Alright. I’m sorry about that,” Arty looked out the windshield and started pulling out of the driveway, “But she’s the only one who comes on short notice. I’ve needed to hire babysitters before, but they don’t like the risk of driving on these roads at night, or when it’s-”

Daniel toned the man out, looking out the passenger side window. He didn’t like her, the way she looked. But he also didn’t like Morrison.

They got to the school and Arty decided to walk Daniel to the front doors, because he still felt a bit guilty about yesterday.

“I’ll be on time,” he said, looking at Daniel. The teen nodded, looking through the doors’ glass inside the school, to where he could see Morrison and his crew teasing a boy.

“Hey,” Arty tapped Daniel’s chin, making the teen look at him. The man smiled. “Okay? Third day’s the charm.”

“I think it’s “time’s”.

“See? Okay, I’ll be back on time, and then we’ll all go to the theaters when Jack gets home.”

Daniel nodded, offering a smile to ease the man. “Okay.”

Arty pat Daniel’s head, ruffling his hair before leaving back to the car. Then Daniel walked into the school, where Laura was waiting.

“Daniel!” she exclaimed, running up to him.

She walked him to class, where everything went fine: until noon.

Laura got a hamburger for lunch.

“I like cheeseburgers, but I can’t have them because I’m lactosintolerant,” she said, Daniel watching her as she took a bite. He looked at his own bag, contemplating. He wanted to eat it, but he was waiting for Morrison. And since yesterday’s charade, he would be sure to mess with Daniel some more.

Laura looked over the table at Daniel and pressed her lips together. “...Hey, I heard about what happened yesterday.”

Daniel looked at her with his dark eyes. He gave a light shrug. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“I heard it was rotten.”

“It was. But we’re just teenagers.”

Morrison sat down as if on que, thudding into the seat next to Daniel.

“Yeah, just kids being kids,” he said, flashing a grin across the table at Laura, who didn’t flinch even as his ruined expression made her uncomfortable. Then he looked at Daniel. “How you doing, Danny?” his eye looked down at Daniel’s lunch bag. “Oh, what’s this? Brought me some lunch?”

Daniel didn’t say anything, watching as Joe grabbed the bag and tossed it to Morrison, the teen catching it before dumping it onthe table. Sifting through the contents, he spoke to Daniel some more.

“So, who’s that faggy dude ‘dropped you off at school? Boyfriend?”

“Morrison, stop it,” Laura glared at the teen, scoffing at Kaiden when the boy flicked a piece of broccoli from his plate at her. “You guys are assholes.”

“Hey, we may _be_ assholes, but at least we don’t like ‘em. Ain’t that right, Dan?” Joe elbowed Daniel, who looked at him. “Seriously though, who was that dude?”

“My dad,” Daniel said, looking at Morrison as the teen grabbed the bottle of water, popping the cap off. The bigger teen laughed.

“You’re fucking kidding.”

“No. He’s my father.”

“Then you’ve got one fucked up family.” Morrison drank the water, watching Daniel like he was just a peasant, while Daniel watched him, because he knew that Morrison was just an idiot.

l.l

In science, Daniel followed Morrison inside. The bigger teen stumbled in his steps and shook his head, like he was fighting sleep. Walking to his desk, he grasped the table top for support when he doubled over, almost falling to the floor. He caught himself, though, and just shook his head again before sitting down. Daniel sat in the desk next to Morrison, the student that normally sat there too shy to do anything and simply moving to another seat.

Class had yet to begin, the teacher out and running copies of an assignment. Looking at Morrison, Daniel could see that the teen’s body was trembling, the brunette staring at the chalkboard and struggling to stay awake.

A problem that Daniel noticed, though, was that the shaking got a little more violent, the bully’s body racking with tremors like he was cold.

Looking down from Morrison, Daniel found the teen’s bag on the floor beside him, Arty’s thermos in a side slot.

Leaning in his seat, Daniel reached over to the bag and grabbed the thermos, slipping it from the pocket and putting it in his paper lunch bag. Then he heard a _thunk_ and looked back at Morrison.

The teen passed out, his head hitting his desk. His body was still shaking, though. Someone seemed to notice, because they spoke up, “Is he okay?” and then more students started talking, standing up and looking over.

It got severe enough that someone ran out to get the teacher, who hurried to Morrison.

Sitting him up in his seat, the teacher looked at his face, patting his cheek.

“Morrison, can you hear me?” they asked, but the teen didn’t respond, trembling in their hold. A girl student called out, “His lips are purple!”

The teacher immediately pulled Morrison from his desk, laying him on the floor.

“Emily, call the nurse in!” the teacher called and the girl ran to the classroom’s phone.

Looking Morrison over, Daniel could see that his lips were gradually turning blue, the same with the tips of his fingers. His body hadn’t stopped shaking.

l.l

Daniel walked to the car, Arty being right on time and standing outside of it, waving to the teen.

“Hey!” the man greeted, smiling. “Third day’s the charm!”

Daniel nodded, getting inside of the car, to which Arty also got in. The man looked at Daniel, raising an eyebrow.

“Did I see an ambulance here?” he asked. Daniel shrugged.

“I don’t know, but probably. A kid in my science class got hurt.”

“Well jeez, how? I knew a kid back in college who lost an eye from a bad chemical reaction.”

“It wasn’t that kind of hurt, I think he overdosed.”

Arty blinked. “What?” The man shook his head. “Wow. You’d better be careful then, huh? As in: no drugs or alcohol. Ever.”

“I know.”

“Good.”

Arty drove them home, the two walking inside to find Jack already there. Sitting on the couch and looking at a magazine, he looked over when he heard the front door open. Then he smiled.

“Hey, you two.”

Arty took off his coat, hanging it up before heading to the couch, where he sat on it and leaned against Jack. “Ah, my handsome husband whom I never get to see,” the brunette sighed, smiling at Jack. Jack chuckled.

“You find a lot of ways for me to make that up.”

Arty laughed and looked at Daniel, who stood at the front door, watching them.

“What time are we going to the theaters?” the teen asked. Arty looked back at Jack.

“Yeah, what time are we going, _babe_.”

“Probably at six. _Babe_ ,” Jack said and rolled his eyes at Arty’s teasing.

Daniel nodded, going to the kitchen. “I’m going to paint then, while I have time,” he called, walking to the fridge; out of sight. Once hidden, he took Arty’s thermos from his bag and looked it over, to find the man’s name. If it were ever there, it was gone, now. There was a scribble of black permanent marker, and Morrison’s name written above it; on the bottom of the thermos.

“Damn.” Daniel put the cup back in his bag before leaving the kitchen, going upstairs to the art room. Before he could start painting, the door opened and he looked over.

Geil stood there, with a pencil and paper in hand, sniffling from his pink nose. He gave Daniel an open mouthed smile, the teen quirking an eyebrow.

“Yes?” he asked the child.

“Can you help me?” Geil asked, Daniel’s dark eyes slipping down to the paper.

“...With what?”

“Homerk.”

“Home _work_.” Daniel took his canvas from the easel, hiding it where he usually did, and walked to Geil. The blonde boy walked Daniel to his room, where he went to his desk and sat in his chair, putting the paper on the table top. Daniel got on his knees to look.

It was a paper of matching, words to things. Daniel looked at Geil.

“You can’t do this?”

Geil shook his head. “No.”

“Well, that’s a little silly, isn’t it?”

Geil looked at Daniel, confused by his words. Then he looked back to the paper. “I need help,” he murmured softly. Daniel gave him a look.

“What’s this?” he pointed at a snake.

“A snake.”

“Okay, now where does it say “snake”?”

“There,” Geil pointed, but it it wasn’t the right word.

“No, that’s “soup”. _This_ is snake.”

“...Oh.”

Daniel got back up, walking away from the desk. “Keep working,” he said, looking around at Geil’s room. There were child things; toys, clothes, play sets.

“I can’t spell “elephant”,” Geil sounded. Daniel walked to the boy’s bed, sitting on it and looking at his bedside table.

“Sound it out,” the teen said, looking at a photograph. It was framed, of a young Arty and an older man. The man’s hair was dark, and he had a hand on Arty’s shoulder.

“El-e-fent,” Geil said.

“No. It’s a tricky word: E-L-E-P-H-A-N-T.” Daniel took the photo out of the frame, flipping it over to look at the back. It said “Grandpa” in black ink, but down in the corner, there was a faded penning of “Dad, 2005”.

“Where’s Daddy’s father, Geil?” he asked, looking at the child. Geil didn’t look at him. Daniel had to repeat it.

“I don’t know,” he finally answered. Daniel put the photograph back and got up from Geil’s bed, going to his dresser. Opening the top drawer, he started sifting through the child’s socks and underwear. Grabbing a pair of underwear, Daniel put it in his pants pocket before looking back at Geil.

“Are you done yet?” he asked, stepping over to look. Geil had two more, but he looked like he wasn’t paying attention to it anymore. Daniel took the pencil and matched the problems before leaving the room, to his own.

Taking out the underwear, he shoved it and Arty’s necklace between his mattress and box-spring, far back so that they wouldn’t fall out or be found. Then he went back to the art room to paint.

l.l

At the movie theaters, Geil wanted to watch a children’s movie, but Daniel didn’t. Arty must have noticed, because he laughed and looked at Jack.

“I don’t think the vote is unanimous,” he said.

Jack looked at Daniel. “Well, do you have something in mind?”

Daniel looked at the movie posters. There were different genres: romance, horror, suspense/thriller, drama, comedy- children’s. Jack spoke up again, to Arty.

“I’m not really one for kid’s shows, I can take Daniel to another movie box while you take Geil.”

Daniel was quick to save himself from being with Jack. “It’s alright, I can stay with you guys.”

“Well, it could be some bonding time between you two- since Jack’s always gone,” Arty said, and Jack rubbed his neck. Daniel repeated, “I’ll watch it”, but Arty had already walked to the ticket booth.

“I’d like two tickets for _Coco_ , and two more for _It_.”

Jack looked at Daniel. “I’d say: it’s too late to stop him.”

Daniel just watched Arty come back with the tickets, smiling.

The four split their own ways and Daniel was left with Jack to lead him for their horror movie of the evening. The two had Skittles and popcorn, and separate drinks of Dr. Pepper and Coke.

Once inside the theater box for _It_ , they sat in the back. And had to wait for the previews to pass.

Jack gave an exhale, the typical father breath that dads do before trying to start some sort of talk.

“So…” The typical starting line. “How was school? I heard a kid had an accident.”

Daniel looked at Jack, who was looking at him with that typical dad look. The teen nodded, turning his gaze to the popcorn that sat between them.

“He had an overdose; they called an ambulance for him.”

“Hm. A freshman?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I guess kids are still as adventurous as they were back in my day,” Jack sighed, leaning on his chair’s arm. Daniel looked at him again, a sudden thought for talk coming into mind.

“Jack,” he said, making his father look at him, “How many children do you have? From your previous marriage.”

Jack cleared his throat, like he didn’t want to talk about it. There wasn’t particularly a reason as to why he couldn’t, though, so he answered.

“Three. Johnathon, Laurence, and Avery.”

“How old are they now?” Daniel asked, his voice sounding of pure curiosity. Jack brought a hand up to rub his mouth and chin uncomfortably.

“Johnathon and Laurence should be twenty eight and twenty five now. And Avery would be twenty one.”

“...Is he the one who came to stay for college?” Jack gave Daniel a look at this and the teen motioned slightly. “Arty told me- we were talking about the art room.”

Jack sighed.

“Yeah. ...He came to stay. Mathilda, his mother, wouldn’t fund him anymore because he had a substance abuse problem. I brought him in, so that we could help him; so that he could have a nice environment to thrive in, but I just didn’t know he was so… depressed.” Jack rubbed his eyes, like they were irritated. Then he sat back in his seat and looked off at the chairs in front of them.

“You must have made him feel at peace,” Daniel spoke after a moment.

Jack shook his head. “I should had found him… I...” He sighed and looked at Daniel.

“You’re a really good kid, Daniel. I’m sorry for not being around much, but I just… It’s been so long since I’ve raised a teenager that I don’t really remember how.”

“It’s alright, Jack. Could I ask you something else, though? Where is Arty’s brother? The one who gave him the necklace?”

Jack cleared his throat, wanting to get off of the morbid conversation but not knowing how to say no.

“He passed away four years ago, from meningitis. He and Arty were really close, so it took its toll. That may be why my son’s death affects him so much: they both passed at nineteen, and Arty was the one who… found Avery.”

Thankfully, the movie started before Daniel could ask anything else.

When it was over, the two still had popcorn left that they gave to Arty when the four met back up, the man happy because he loved popcorn.

“How was your movie?” he asked, eating a piece. Jack nodded.

“It was good, I just… like the original more.”

Arty laughed and looked at Daniel, Jack picking up Geil because he wanted him to.

“And you? Did you like it?” he asked.

“It was good, but I also like the original better.”

“Woah, you’ve seen that? You really are too good to be true!” Arty ruffled Daniel's hair before looking at Jack. “Ready to go home? Geil got tuckered out from singing too much.”

Jack nodded, letting Geil rest his head on his shoulder. “Yeah, let’s go on.” He held Geil with one arm so that he could hold Arty’s hand. Daniel looked elsewhere so that he didn’t have to see that, but his eyes found Kaiden; one of Morrison’s friends. He was looking over, mouth gawking open.

He saw that Daniel’s “parents” were gay. Daniel followed his family out of the theater before Kaiden could laugh or call out at them.


	7. Chapter Seven: To Impress

“My aunt said that whatever he took didn’t react right with the medication he takes for his eye, and that’s why he had that reaction. He honestly could have died,” Laura said, following Daniel down the hallway. The teen looked at her.

“But it left him comatose?”

“Yeah, he’s still in the ICU. I feel so bad for his mom..”

Daniel stopped when at his locker, but he paused before opening it. On the locker door was FAG, in fat marker. Laura gasped.

“What the hell? Who did that?” she exclaimed, looking around. Daniel ignored it, opening his locker. It didn’t just end with FAG, though.

A bunch of photos came tumbling from his locker of dicks and gay men having sex. _This_ made Daniel look around, to see if anyone was looking. There were bystanders who had been watching from the beginning, snickering, and more people stopped walking in the hall to murmur. Kaiden was laughing.

“Look, he’s a faggot!” Kaiden called, and people started laughing. Laura got red faced.

“I’m getting Mr. Grey,” she said, turning and storming off in the hallway.

Mr. Grey was Muscle Head’s real name, which Daniel almost didn’t remember.

A few teachers seemed to be coming out of their rooms already, and some of the crowd started to disperse. Just some, though; most stayed and had to be ushered away by the teachers.

Daniel knelt to start picking up the fallen photos.

There was a distant voice that said “I’ll stay and help” and then there were footsteps that approached before someone knelt in front of Daniel.

Looking up, it was Joe. He had black hair and blue eyes, and he gave Daniel a nervous smile.

“...Sorry for the bird thing.”

Daniel quirked an eyebrow, watching him. He tilted his head slightly. “Why be sorry? You seemed to be having fun.” His words made Joe look down.

“..Well, you're not really a… bad guy.”

“You're wanting me to be your friend, is that it?” Daniel asked. Joe gave an awkward nod, shrugging slightly.

“Yeah.. I guess.”

“Would you make Morrison or Kaiden eat a dead animal with diseases?”

Joe looked back up at Daniel, eyebrows furrowed and eyes saying he was confused. He didn't answer.

“Would you kick them in the head?” Daniel asked, watching as Joe paused while picking up a picture.

“...No.”

Daniel leaned forward on his knees. “Then are you sure friendship is what you want from me?”

Joe cleared his throat. “Daniel, I'm sorry about… kicking you and stuff, but-” He grabbed another photo, but his hand jerked from his nerves and he accidentally touched Daniel’s wrist. Daniel didn’t seem to notice.

“You want to be nice to me because Morrison is gone and you don't really like Kaiden, but what would happen when Morrison gets discharged? You would go back to doing silly things to me and all the other boys you hurt, just to please him.” Daniel looked Joe in the eye. “Right?”

Joe pressed his lips together, staring at Daniel like the teen had read his whole life. He dropped his gaze down to the photo in his hand, of someone giving fellatio.

Daniel stood up with what pictures he had.

“Thank you for staying to help, but I don't want to be late for class.” The brunette walked to a trash can, dumping the photos in it before going to class, leaving Joe to clean up the rest.

l.l

The day to lunch was peaceful. Apart from the fact that Mr. Grey had pestered him all second hour about the locker incident. After telling him that he was fine, and that he didn't know or care who had messed with his locker, Mr. Grey let him go on with his day.

Laura met Daniel at the lunch table, with a plate of spaghetti.

“What did Mr. Grey want?” she asked, making Daniel look at her. It was annoying, because she knew full well what he wanted. A snitch.

He shrugged. “Who I thought did it.”

“Well, did you tell him?”

“No. I don't know who did it.”

“Daniel! It was _Kaiden_!”

“Hm.” Daniel took a bite of his PB&j. “I didn't even suspect.”

Laura narrowed her eyes. “Are you being sarcastic right now?”

Daniel didn't reply, just looking at her. He took another bite.

Laura shook her head. “I don't even know why they started with you,” she muttered. Daniel swallowed his bite.

“Because Morrison likes you,” he said, watching her. She blinked at him before gawking.

“What?”

“He likes you. Have you not realized?”

“N-no, Morrison's a bully!”

“With a crush. He probably didn't like me sitting with you.”

“Daniel, you're too crazy for your own good.”

“I'd say you full well that like him, too,” Daniel said, raising an eyebrow at her. She gave an exaggerated scoff. Yeah, she did like him. And Daniel wasn't lying about Morrison, it seemed like he had a school grade crush on her.

“Mm,” he motioned to her, to get her head out of the clouds. “I may join basketball.”

Laura laughed. “Bullshit, basketball season already started.”

“We're only a month in, it's not too late.”

“Wait, you're _serious_? Daniel, _look_ at you,” Laura giggled. “You're pale and skinny, do you know how weird that is?”

“The point is to not be pale, and to get bigger,” Daniel drank some water. Laura furrowed her eyebrows.

“...Why?”

“I have someone I want to impress.”

“So you do have a crush!”

Daniel shrugged. “It's not for you to know.”

“Danny!” Laura pushed his shoulder, grinning in excitement.

l.l

Gym was after science and before art.

The teacher was a dark man who looked just as big as Mr. Grey. They probably go to the gym together.

“Mr. Long,” Daniel said to him, as the other students started coming in after dressing. Mr. Long looked at him.

“Yes…”

“Daniel.”

“Right. Yes, Daniel?”

“I'd like to join the basketball team.”

“Hm. Well, I have a few jerseys left; you wanna be #68?”

“It doesn't matter to me.”

Mr. Long nodded. “Okay, we'll get it for you after class. Until then, get dressed and line up.”

Daniel turned away from the man, leaving to the locker room to change into his gym clothes.

There were still a bunch of students in there, Kaiden and Joe included. Usually they didn’t notice or pay attention to Daniel in gym class, because Morrison wasn’t around to start anything. He had a different class for gym because of his eye.

That would probably change now, though, since Kaiden had taken a liking to messing with Daniel about being a “fag”.

Dressing for class, Daniel took off his shirt and pants to slip on his shorts and other t shirt. He could feel a set of eyes on him, but didn’t do anything and just got changed.

Then he turned and left the locker room, heading back into the gym and getting in line for a scrimmage.

Once school was finished without any incidents, Laura met Daniel outside, following the teen while he went out to look for Arty.

“Did you make it?” she asked, walking beside him on the front steps. Daniel nodded, looking at the parked parents.

“I did.”

“What number are you?”

“68.”

“Yay! You made it!”

“It’s not hard to join sports,” Daniel said as he started walking away after spotting Arty’s car. The man was on his phone inside, and he looked to be arguing.

Laura followed Daniel. “Hey, do you think that we can hang out sometime? Like, outside of school. I live just a few blocks-”

“I live forty minutes away,” Daniel cut her off. She frowned.

“Oh. Well, I want to meet your parents!”

As soon as Daniel was going to protest, Arty got off of his call and got out of the car. He looked at the teens and waved, smiling.

“Hey, is that Laura?” he called, and Daniel glanced at her. She was grinning.

“You told them about me? Aw!” Hurrying ahead of Daniel, Laura ran to Arty to greet herself. Daniel lagged behind, breathing through his nose.

“Hi, Mr...” Laura looked at Daniel for support, just realizing that she didn’t even know the teen’s last name. He didn’t help her, just putting his hands in his pockets. She got herself into it.

“Mason,” Arty said, smiling to Laura. “So, are you the infamous Laura?”

Laura laughed. “Infamous?”

“Well, being his friend on the first day.” Arty looked at Daniel, winking to the teen. Daniel broke a small smile.

“Oh trust me, Mr. Mason, Daniel can have a lot of friends- people are always talking about him.”

“Well come on, Daniel, no need to be shy, right?”

It was true. People were starting to talk about Daniel to and around Laura; girls calling him cute and some boys just mentioning him. Their opinions would probably change, though, since the stunt that Kaiden pulled with his locker.

“And just call me Arty, or Art- that “Mr. Mason” thing is for my husband,” Arty chuckled, rubbing his neck. Laura looked at Daniel, gawking slightly. When he didn’t acknowledge her, she looked back at his father.

“Are you gay?” she asked before waving a hand in excitement. “My aunt just got a new girlfriend!”

Arty laughed softly. “Well, that’s always nice. Would you like to hang out with Daniel sometime? I can always give you a ride- if it’s alright with your parents.”

Laura was going to say something, but Daniel cut in first.

“I actually have something I want to tell you and Jack at home tonight. If that’s alright.”

Laura cleared her throat, pointing off. “Yeah, I also have like, chores to do.. But I’ll ask my parents for some other time!” she said, smiling although feeling dejected. Arty nodded, waving to her.

“Okay, I guess another time, then,” he said, smiling to her to help cheer her up. She gave a small smile back and looked at Daniel.

“Bye, Daniel. See you tomorrow?”

Daniel nodded. “Yeah, tomorrow.” He watched her leave, the girl waving goodbye to the two as she headed for the sidewalk. Arty looked at Daniel.

“Why do I get the feeling I’m missing something?” he asked. Daniel shrugged.

“You must be looking too hard.”

Arty laughed, getting back into the car. “I know you didn’t just say that to me.” His laughter made Daniel break a smile, the teen keeping it away into a smirk. He got into the passenger’s seat so that they could go home.

l.l

At the house, it was Geil and Jessica, since the boy was still sick and Jack was working out at the gym.

Jessica opened the front door.

Smiling, she looked at the two. “Hey, welcome back!”

“Yeah, how was Geil?” Arty asked, stepping inside of the house. He looked at her, pointing off at the stairs. “I’ll go and get the money real fast, too,” he said. Jessica put on her best smile and shook her head, patting Arty’s shoulder.

“Oh, you don’t need to rush or anything. He was fine, though! I think he’ll be alright for school tomorrow.”

“Wow, really? That’s great- he has a tough time with schoolwork at home.” Arty left for the staircase, so that he could get some money from he and Jack’s room.

He left Daniel alone, with Jessica.

The teen tried walking passed her, but she made a noise and caught him by the jacket.

“You don’t want to get sick wearing this in the house- let me take it for you,” she said. Daniel closed his eyes in contempt.

He could feel her taking his jacket, slipping it off of his shoulders and down his arms. She ran her fingers down his arms as she took his coat.

“There you go, you don’t want to end up sick like Geil.”

Daniel stepped away from her when his coat was off, making a good distance between them. Jessica acted like nothing happened, hanging the teen’s jacket on the coat rack as Arty ran back down the stairs.

“Okay!” he ran to the two, stopping in front of Jessica; the woman smiling at him. He held out the cash, offering a smile. “Thanks again, Jessica- you really are a lifesaver.”

“It’s alright, Geil is a nice enough kid to keep me coming back,” Jessica shrugged, like a boy with attention difficulties wasn’t a big problem. Arty seemed to fall for it, though.

“Well, you’re always welcome- I’ll take all the help I can get...”

Daniel toned their voices out, walking away from them and to the large windows in the living room, that showed off the outside land.

The snowy ground was covered by layers of trees that went far off, into a forest.

Glancing back at Arty and Jessica, the two seemed to still be talking, distracted.

Daniel went to the side door of the house, opening the glass and stepping outside. He was struck immediately by goosebumps when the chilly air hit him, because Jessica had taken his jacket. He didn’t let that stop him though, and he started walking to the trees.

Stepping into the woods, there seemed to be nothing of much interest. Then, the farther he went, there seemed to be an abandoned shed- far off in the woods.

l.l

“You did _what_?” Arty laughed, carrying a steaming dish of chicken to the dinner table. Putting it down, he hurried to Daniel, grabbing the teen’s head into an excited hug. “Oh my god, the basketball team!”

Daniel laughed a little in Ary’s embrace, smothered in the man’s arms. Jack raised his eyebrows.

“Really?”

“ _Really_ , Jack- yay, Daniel!” Arty let the teen go to look at him, already forgetting about talking to Jack. The other man didn’t mind, though, reaching over the table to start making Geil’s plate.

“It wasn’t hard or anything,” Daniel stated, looking at Arty, who’s eyes were on his. The man smiled.

“But it’s a great way to make friends! Being in a new family, and a new country- this is a good start for you.”

“I wanna play baseball!” Geil called out, watching Jack cut his chicken. The man nodded to him.

“You will one day. Eat this, first,” he said.

Arty sat in his chair with a heavy sigh, looking at Daniel again. “Gah, I’m just so proud! I mean, now we can drag Jack away from work more often!” He looked at Jack, his husband giving a single laugh.

“You can try, but Sandra wants to suck more work hours out of me,” Jack said, sitting back in his seat when done making Geil’s plate. The boy started eating.

Arty glanced over at Daniel. “Sandra’s not his boss; she just thinks she’s in charge.” Daniel smiled, looking at Jack, who rolled his light brown eyes.

“When I get my next promotion, I’ll stop treating her like a queen.”

Arty stuck a greenbean onto a fork before flicking it at his husband. “ _I’m_ the queen.”

It smacked Jack’s shoulder and the man gave him a look. “Don’t throw food or Geil-”

Geil threw a piece of his chicken, off in some random direction, and Jack groaned. Daniel smirked, watching them.

“You don’t have to go to the games or anything; I just joined for the sport,” he said, taking a bite of his food. Arty clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“Nope- I don’t care if you joined the chess team; I gotta go. Jack’ll come too, won’t you babe?”

Jack gave an honest shrug, picking up the tossed food that fell into his lap. “I’ll seriously try.”

Geil threw some more food and Arty got up to pick up the mess, bending over. Daniel watched him, eating a piece of meat.

Arty suddenly stood back up, looking at Jack. “A-nd, I met Daniel’s friend today! A girl, named Laura,” he smiled. Jack looked at Daniel, who was already speaking in his own defense.

“She’s only my friend. Speaking of,” he looked at Arty, “Could I borrow your phone for a call? We agreed to share history notes,” he lied. Arty looked hesitant, which meant that he probably didn’t want Daniel snooping through his phone. Which was precisely what the teen wanted to do.

“Let him call her, babe; my phone’s on the charger,” Jack spoke up before drinking his water. Daniel watched Arty patiently.

“...Sure, you can use it,” Arty smiled to Daniel, pulling his phone from his pocket. Daniel noticed that Arty seemed to be doing something, maybe hiding something first, so the teen hooked his foot on Geil’s chair leg and pulled.

The chair came falling over- with Geil in it. Jack and Arty immediately rushed over, Jack being a little quicker and grabbing Geil’s arm, but it didn’t particularly stop the fall. Geil still hit the floor, and he started bawling, reaching his other hand up to touch his head.

“What happened!” Arty sounded, kneeling beside Jack and Geil, Jack sitting on the floor and pulling Geil into his lap.

“He just fell,” he said. Daniel looked at where Arty had been with his phone. During the excitement, Arty had left it on the table.

Daniel got up, heading over and picking it up. He put it in his pocket before pointing at the fridge.

“I can get an ice pack,” he said. Jack shook his head.

“No, it’s not that bad or anything- just go on and we’ll take care of him.”

Arty was looking at the chair, trying to figure out how Geil had fallen; his phone gone from his mind. Daniel nodded to Jack and left to his bedroom, where he shut himself inside before getting on Arty’s phone.

Daniel had originally meant to look at the phone calls, but seeing the messaging app got the better of him, so he decided on that, first.

There were texts from his mom, Jack, some people who appeared to just be friends; Cameron, July, Fargo, and Andy, and some texts from Henry, that seemed to be casual. Daniel knew, though, that there had been some deleted messages, because the content in the thread sounded like it had some things missing.

Moving on to the calls, Daniel expected to see Henry’s name at the top, but it instead was an unknown number.

He wrote the number on a piece of paper and folded it, sticking it under his bed with his other things, for later.


	8. Chapter Eight: Unlikely Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe continues his advances towards Daniel.

“Come on, move it, Daniel!” Mr. Long called out, making Daniel run a little quicker to get the ball. Kaiden had it, and he was making damn sure that Daniel couldn’t get it.

It was practice, with Joe and Kaiden on a team together, and Daniel with some nobodies on the other. The floor was full of running bodies and squeaking shoes, and Kaiden taunting Daniel.

“You can’t try any harder?” he asked, bouncing the ball at half court. Daniel stood in front of him, blocking. He didn’t talk back, because he thought it would be stupid to exchange conversation with someone like Kaiden. He just reached out to try snagging the ball, but Kaiden moved and took it with him, limbs skinny and long like a spider.

He ran around Daniel, bouncing the ball and going to his team’s hoop. Daniel fell behind because he was tired and knew that Kaiden would get it in regardless.

The ball whisked in and Mr. Long blew his whistle.

“Alright, kiddos, head on to the showers and get ready for your next class,” he said. Some students groaned because they wanted to play more, and others walked slowly to the locker rooms because they were tired. Daniel was a tired one, dragging his forearm across his forehead to wipe away sweat. He huffed and walked to the locker room, a hand on his hip because he needed to stretch, but he didn’t want to waste time for a shower.

Going to the room, he dodged the door being thrust open by a kid in a rush, and went inside to a shower.

There were two already occupied and running, curtains drawn; leaving three more empty. Since they were all freshman, and hygiene isn’t on their top priority, most of the kids just left on to class, so the showers weren’t really at risk of being taken.

Daniel picked the farthest one, near the emergency exit, and started stripping his clothes. Pulling off his shirt, he stuffed it into his gym bag. Then he heard Kaiden.

“’Girls made a dick list! Look who’s at the top,” he sounded, from where he was surrounded by other boys.

Daniel finished undressing, not caring for whatever they were doing. Stepping into the shower, he pulled the curtain shut and started washing up with the bar soap.

Scrubbing his hair, the curtain was pulled open.

Looking at who it was, Daniel’s eyes found Kaiden and a few students, Joe amongst them.

“What do you want?” Daniel asked, bringing his hands down to cover himself. It left the running water to assault the bubbles in his hair, making the suds drip down his face and try getting into his eyes.

Kaiden crossed his arms, frowning. “The girls made a list of who has the biggest dick- we want to see where you are.”

Daniel quirked an eyebrow, looking at the boys. “And what if I say no?” he asked, annoyed. Kaiden scoffed.

“You’re probably the smallest; we just want to prove them wrong,” he said, the list crumbled in his hand. Daniel almost laughed.

“Does that mean I’m high on the list?”

Kaiden’s face got red and he threw the wad of paper at Daniel, hitting the teen in the face. Daniel gave him a look.

“Alright, show us- since you’re so high and mighty,” Kaiden said, and some other kid also spoke up. Daniel exhaled, watching them. He shook his head before moving his hands back to his hair, tilting his head underneath the water to wash away the soap.

Some kid started laughing and Kaiden yelled at them, so Daniel must have been high on the list. That must mean that Kaiden was lower, which also means that the list was probably right.

Daniel looked at the boys while rinsing his hair, one boy’s cheeks pink while he looked away, a few boys murmuring to each other- Kaiden’s cheeks were red with frustration. Then one kid pointed and asked, “What’s that.”

Two scars on Daniel’s left hip bone, long and thin. Now all the kids seemed to be looking at it.

Daniel reached out to grab the shower curtain, looking at the kids. Joe was the only one who was looking at his face, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Daniel pulled the curtain shut.

l.l

Again, Laura waited for Daniel outside of the gym, holding a library book in her arms. She smiled at him.

“Hey!”

Daniel glanced at her, walking by. “Do you always greet people with “Hey”?”

Laura laughed, walking after him. She cleared her throat a little excessively, for dramatic effect. “I heard… you’re number one on the list.”

“What list?”

“ _The_ list- why do you always act so clueless?”

Daniel smiled. “I am clueless.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “The _dick_ list. Look,” she elbowed him and he looked at her before looking around. There were girls talking and giggling, looking at them. He rolled his eyes.

“Whoever made such a list needs something to do in life.”

“Hey, don’t say that- she could end up a politician!”

“I didn’t know you were into politics.”

“Eh, my parents are.”

Laura followed Daniel to his art class before parting to go to the office, where she went every seventh hour to help out.

Daniel typically had Morrison in Science, Kaiden and Joe in PE, and Joe again in Art. That meant that stepping into class now, he would be stuck with Joe.

The teen walked inside, where he sat at one of the tables. Mrs. Gayle, the teacher, spoke up from the front of the room.

“We all know that Morrison is still in the hospital, yes? Because this is my most talented class of the day, we’re going to send a Get Well card to his family. You can draw on it if you want, or you can sign it- just remember your manners.”

It was a giant piece of poster board at the front of the room that everyone was signing, but Daniel decided to just wait for it to be passed back instead of getting up and going over. Not that he _would_ sign it.

Instead, he opened his sketchbook to… sketch. He was working on the anatomy of hands, something that no one would really take his book to look at. Because he had other things in there that he didn’t want to be seen.

The kid sitting beside him stood up to go to the card, and someone else sat down in their stead. Daniel didn’t look or anything, because he had a feeling of who it could be.

“Hey,” said Joe, who Daniel figured it was. The brunette didn’t reply, running his pencil lightly over the line of a wrist. “Dan, hey,” Joe nudged Daniel’s arm, making the teen mess up his line. Now he looked at him.

“What?” he asked.

“I just… want to apologize.” Joe watched Daniel, who gave him a look.

“You have. Yesterday.” Daniel looked back down at his paper. He started erasing the mistake.

“Well, I don’t think you’re accepting it.”

“Because I’m not, to be frankly honest with you.”

“Well… why?”

“Because my name is _Daniel_ , not Dan or Danny. And because I don’t want your apologies,” Daniel glanced back at Joe, who was pressing his lips together in thought.

“...Why, though?” he asked. Daniel put his pencil down, giving Joe his full attention.

“Because as I mentioned yesterday: you’ll just forget it all when Morrison comes back. Besides, I don’t want any friends.”

“What do you want? Like, a cheat sheet for a test? Do you want me to hit Kaiden?”

Daniel raised his eyebrows, watching Joe, who just kept looking at him. “What is this, a game? Joe, I don’t want anything from you. Maybe for you to go away. Will you go away?”

Joe reached over the table to grab Daniel’s sketchbook, where he pulled it into his own lap. Daniel sat up straight in his chair, looking at Joe’s hands before looking back at his blue eyes.

“Give me my book.”

“Just accept my apology, first.”

“Joe-”

“I’ll give it back, I promise- just like, what do you want? To talk to me, what do you want so that you’ll talk to me?”

Daniel crossed his arms, staring at Joe. “Your phone.”

Joe blinked, tilting his head. “Huh?”

“Your phone,” Daniel held out his hand to the teen. “Let me borrow it.”

Joe slowly, confused, reached into his pants pocket for his phone, pulling it out and handing it to Daniel. “What for?”

“A phone call.” Putting the phone on the table, Daniel reached into his own pocket and pulled out Arty’s necklace, opening it. Inside, he had crammed the phone number, and there were still a few pills of Ambien inside. He took the note out and closed the necklace before Joe could see the pills, and then he took the phone again to dial the number in.

The phone was locked, so Daniel looked at Joe for the password. The noirette cleared his throat.

“...It’s 102418.” His lunch number.

Daniel put the numbers in and once given access to call, dialed the number on the paper. Looking around, Mrs. Gayle was busy chatting with some preppy students.

Daniel suddenly remembered his accent, so he handed the phone to Joe while it rang.

“Just ask who it is- give them a fake name if they ask,” he said, and Joe nodded despite looking deeply confused.

“Hello?” he asked, his phone to his ear. Daniel watched him.

“...Uh, no? Who is this?” Joe looked at Daniel, looking even more confused. He hung up the phone, raising an eyebrow at the teen.

“His name is Richard. I guess he’s a lawyer.”

“Hm.”

“...That’s it? You’re not gonna tell me what that was about?”

“No. Can I have my book back?”

Joe put Daniel’s book back on the table and the teen shut it, putting it in his bag. There was a long moment of silence before Daniel looked at Joe, who was messing on his phone.

“...Joe,” Daniel said, getting the teen’s attention. “Do you want to come to my house after school?”

l.l

“You kids aren’t very talkative, are you?” Arty asked while driving, Daniel in the front seat and Joe in the back with Geil.

Joe was too awkward to talk. To talk, he would have to talk loud so that Daniel could hear him. That meant that Arty could hear. And, Arty was gay, right? Joe was a little uncomfortable in the car, especially with Geil trying to talk to him about nonsense.

“So, how’d you two meet? Basketball team?” Arty asked, looking at Joe through the rear view mirror. Joe looked at Daniel, who just watched the road ahead.

“No, he’s in my art class. Now we’re in basketball together, though,” Daniel spoke up and Arty nodded.

“Ah- well, we have an art room if you want to mess around in there. My husband has a lot of paintings in there, though, so you might be careful.”

“We won’t go in there,” Daniel said.

When they got home, Arty took Geil inside to give him some medicine because he still had a little bit of a cough. Daniel waited until the two were in the house before motioning to Joe.

“Come,” he said, walking around the house to the woods. Joe followed him, his hands in his pockets and looking around.

“...You live here?” he asked, glancing at Daniel, who walked ahead of him.

“Yes,” Daniel said like it was obvious. It sort of was.

“Uh, why’d you come here? Like, from the UK.”

“I was transferred from an orphanage there to this one. I was too old for that one.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Not particularly.”

“...Do you… like having two dads?”

Daniel paused in the snow and looked at Joe. “It’s normal.”

Joe looked away, at the trees. “...Where are we going?” he finally thought to ask. Daniel shrugged.

“I found something here the other day. Hurry up, it’s cold.” He started walking again, his legs long and thin. Joe continued after him.

They walked until they got to the abandoned shed Daniel had found a few days ago, stopping just before it. Joe looked at Daniel. “...This?”

The ceiling had large holes in it, where snow was no doubt collecting inside. The windowpanes were missing their glasses, and the front door was rotted with holes in it.

Daniel nodded. “Yeah.” He pressed on, pushing the door open and going inside. After a small moment, he peeked back out at Joe. “Come on, don’t puss.”

Joe blinked, completely taken back by Daniel… being normal. Wasn’t he just some wimp?

“Joe!”

Joe followed Daniel inside, closing the door behind him. It didn’t have a doorknob, so he had to grab it by the wood, which was soft and damp from the snow. Once inside, the place was empty. There were piles of snow from the holes in the roof, and there were spots where some of the floor had been pulled away; dead grass sticking up in some places. The place was small, with an old gas stove and sink, and a short hallway off to the side.

He couldn’t see Daniel.

“Daniel,” Joe called out, looking around. He was really… nervous. Walking down the hall, it was only long enough for two doors, one being an empty bathroom with only a toilet and sink, and the other being a bedroom with a rusty metal box spring. Daniel wasn’t in there, either.

“...Daniel?” Joe walked further into the room, looking around. It was very bright because of the glassless window and missing ceiling that allowed the sky to shine in.

“Boo.”

Joe jumped and quickly turned around, where Daniel was standing with his hands in his pockets, breath puffing out like smoke from the cold. Joe pushed him.

“Dude!”

“You scare too easy,” Daniel said after catching himself, stumbling back some. He looked around with his dark eyes, cheeks pink from the biting cold. ‘What do you think of the place?”

Joe huffed and looked around. “...It looks like a shithole.”

“Do you think they would find a body in here?”

“...Probably.” Joe looked at Daniel, who was looking at him. The brunette broke into a smile.

“You scare too easy.”

“Are we here for a reason? I thought you didn’t like me.”

“You’re right. I don’t.” Daniel turned from Joe to start walking down the hall. “But I can tolerate you.”

Joe rolled his eyes, walking after Daniel. “So what are we here for?” he asked, putting his hands in his coat pockets because his fingers started getting cold. Daniel shrugged.

“...A change of place is always nice.” Turning, he looked at Joe again. “Do you smoke?”

“..Not really.”

“You don’t have to lie, I don’t care about telling.”

“Well, why do you want to know?”

“Because I want to know. Do you smoke?”

Joe sighed. “Kind of. I mean, I have a pack.”

“Could I have a fag?”

Joe gave Daniel a look. “...What?”

Daniel held out a hand. “A fag- can I have one?”

“...Are you calling me a fag?”

“Ugh, a fag: cigarette. Can I have a cigarette?” Daniel waved his hand. “Please?”

Joe started pulling the pack from his pants pocket, watching Daniel. “...What do you call them?”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “Fags, we call them fags. I forgot you’re very simpleminded.”

Joe held the pack out but pulled it away just when Daniel reached for it. The brunette raised an eyebrow.

“What’s wrong with you? Why are you acting different?” Joe asked.

“This is how all the other boys at your school would act. What’s wrong? Do you see how unappealing it is, now?”

“...Is this some kind of test?”

“It could be. We’re all alone out here; you can tell me what you really want from me now.” Daniel reached out, taking the pack of cigarettes from Joe. Pulling the top open, there was a lighter crammed in with four cigarettes. He slipped one out, putting it between his lips before getting the lighter. He flicked the lighter, watching Joe to wait for his response.

Joe pressed his lips together, watching Daniel light the cigarette and take a puff. He followed that with three quick drags before pulling the stick from his lips and holding it between his fingers at his side. He quirked an eyebrow at Joe, exhaling the smoke.

“Well?” he asked, forcing more smoke to glide from his lips, some coming out of his nose. Joe crossed his arms.

“Back in the locker room, you have some scars or something. What are they from?” he asked. Daniel held the cigarette out to the teen.

“What do you really want from me? Are you gay? Do you just not know how to say it?” the brunette asked, watching Joe. Joe glared at Daniel, crossing his arms.

“No. I’m not a fag.”

“It’s not a bad thing. Maybe it is depending on your friends. Is that why you want to apologize? For Kaiden spreading that I’m a fag at school, with gay parents? Because you’re gay?”

Joe didn’t say anything, and he didn’t take the cigarette, so Daniel brought it back to his lips to take another drag.

“You asked me what you had to do to be my friend. I have something in mind now, if you’re interested.”

l.l

Arty looked at the side door when it opened, Daniel and Joe stepping inside. The man waved from where he sat on the couch, a laptop in his lap.

“Hey, you guys hungry? I’m thinking omelets- yeah?”

Daniel looked at Joe. “Do you want to stay for dinner?” he asked. Joe pressed his lips together.

“...Yeah, I’ll take an omelet.”

“Sweet!” Arty shut the laptop and put it on the coffee table before heading to the kitchen. Daniel walked to the stairs, motioning for Joe, who followed him.

The two went to Daniel’s room, where they took off their coats and shoes.

“Are you cold?” Daniel asked Joe, who nodded because they had been out there for a long time. Daniel pointed at his closet. “You can change your pants if they’re wet, there may be a pair to fit you.”

“It’s okay.”

“Alright.” Daniel walked to his bed before climbing onto it and laying down, pulling the blanket over himself to get warm. He looked at Joe. “Come on if you’re cold.”

Joe hesitated for a long time before going over, climbing in and laying down beside Daniel. Daniel tossed the blanket over Joe so that he was also covered, and then he rolled so that his back was to the teen.

“...I sort of like Kaiden. As a friend,” Joe said. Daniel turned to looked at him.

“No you don’t.” He turned back around. Joe scoffed.

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. Because you wouldn’t have agreed otherwise.”


	9. Chapter Nine: When You Were Young

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel meet's Jack's oldest.

Daniel scrolled through Arty’s emails, looking through the names that rolled by. He continued like that until he found _Richard Cavloski_ , where he clicked the email to look at the messages.

Richard Cavloski: _From what we’re working with, your father’s will is still in place for your mother. If you want another chance to fight for it, you would have to go back to court. I can arrange for a date this coming Monday, but I think the courts are still in favor of your mother._

Arty Mason: _I still don’t understand why. His inheritance was supposed to go to me when I turned eighteen. What changed that?_

Richard Cavloski: _Your mother has a very good lawyer, and I can say from personally looking at this will that it isn’t entirely clear of who takes the inheritance._

A few days go by before the next email, by Arty.

Arty Mason: _That guy Henry I told you about, he still won’t leave me alone. He keeps calling me and texting._

Richard Cavloski _: Like before, you said that you don’t want your husband knowing about this. The only way you can stop this is to take it into court for a restraining order, or try and settle it civilly between the two of you. Taking it to court would mean that your husband would know. The real way to stop this would be to save the messages and calls, and report it as blackmail._

Richard Cabloski _: I know that isn’t what you want to do, but there’s really no way to stop it unless you take it to a judge. Or find a way to settle it between each other._

Before Daniel could read Arty’s response or any further messages, he heard footsteps approaching behind him. Quickly closing the tab, he opened up his backup tab: a page on biology. A hand rest on his shoulder and he looked up at Arty.

“Hey, how’s the computer treating you?” the man asked. Daniel looked back at the screen.

“It’s fine; thank you for letting me use it.

“No problem.” Arty walked around the couch to sit on it, beside the teen. Daniel looked at him again.

“Is something up?” the teen asked, grabbing the top of the laptop to close it, but Arty pushed it back up, keeping it open.

“Um...” he huffed and looked at Daniel. “Jack’s oldest son, Johnathon, is coming over with his girlfriend Shelly.”

Daniel quirked an eyebrow. “Is that bad?”

“...No, but he isn’t too happy about… me, so just don’t let him bother you if he says anything.”

“Well, why is he coming over, then?” Daniel asked, shutting the computer now. Arty crossed his legs, sitting back in the couch.

“They’re having a baby, so I said that they could have some of Geil’s old stuff. Toys, and such. They shouldn’t be here long, but I thought I’d tell you. Just to make sure.”

Daniel nodded in understanding, looking at the closed laptop on his lap. “...Do you like Johnathon?”

Arty laughed, but it sounded a little fake. “Yeah, I mean, he’s a smart guy.”

“Jack told me he’s twenty eight. That means he’s your same age _and_ your stepson,” Daniel said after noticing it, and Arty shifted on the couch, furrowing his eyebrows.

“...Yeah, it’s a weird thought.”

“Did you know Jack had children when you met him?”

Arty didn’t reply, kicking his leg on the other. He pressed his lips together like he was thinking about something, before he uncrossed his legs and stood up. Looking at Daniel again, he motioned. “Come here, let me show you something.”

Daniel stood, putting the laptop on the couch. He followed Arty when the man started walking off, up the stairs and to the storage room.

“I found this earlier,” Arty said, kneeling to dig in one of the boxes. “I was looking for some stuff you might like and found this old music player I got as a kid.” He grabbed something and laughed, pulling it out. It looked a little heavy, because he struggled a little, but he managed to get it from the box, setting it on the cluttered table in the room. Stepping aside, he let Daniel look at it.

It was an old music player, silver, Sony. Arty patted it.

“I know it looks like, old, but it’s just 2005. The _good_ part though, is...” He grabbed the cord, plugging it into a plugin underneath the table. Then he turned the player on, Daniel walking over to look closer. “It has an old CD in it!” Arty continued happily.

The screen’s light came on, blue, and Arty pressed _play_ once it said _ready_.

The disc inside whirred before the song started, with a guitar and drums. Arty turned up the volume, grinning, and then he looked at Daniel.

“You can’t live without this- The Killers were the _bomb_ when I was a kid! Especially this song!” It was When You Were Young, and once the singing came in, Arty started dancing.

Snapping his fingers to the beat of the drums, he swayed his hips from side to side, eyes closed like he was living in the moment. Daniel watched him, smiling softly as the older brunette danced to himself.

“ _...old ways. You play forgiveness, watch it now, here he comes-”_

Arty looked at Daniel, biting his lip in excitement. He reached out, taking the teen’s hands. “Come on, you know you want to dance! This is a great song!”

“ _...Talks like a gentleman, like you imagined when you were young...”_

“No, no, I’m fine, Arty,” Daniel said, laughing despite himself as Arty tried bringing him into the music. Arty laughed.

“Please, Daniel? It’s fun!”

Daniel groaned, stepping forward to Arty, the man crying out in excitement that he managed to persuade him.

“ _Can we climb this mountain, I don’t know. Higher now than ever before I-”_

Letting go of Daniel’s hands, Arty danced again, mostly with his hips and arms because the music just made you want to jump around. Daniel shook his head before moving some, the most he really could without embarrassing himself.

“ _Know we can make it if we take it slow. Let’s take it easy, easy now, watch it go!”_

“ _We’re burning down the highway skyline,”_

Arty laughed at Daniel, motioning to him. “Come on!”

“ _On the back of a hurricane, that started turning when you were young-”_

Daniel rolled his eyes with a smile, pausing and watching Arty, because he didn’t know how to have that much energy.

“ _When you were yo-ung!”_

The music broke into a short instrumental break and the door opened, to Geil in some sweat pants. He looked confused as to what was going on, but he didn’t mind it when Arty went over to grab him, picking him up and dancing with the boy; making the child laugh and squeal happily.

“ _And sometimes you close your eyes and see the place where you used to live… when you were young.”_

Daniel stepped back to watch the two, smiling as Arty dipped Geil down before bringing him back up, the child screaming with laughter.

Arty and Geil were too busy dancing to notice, but Daniel caught it: the door opening wide. It wasn’t Jack, since he was at work.

Daniel went to the player, pressing _stop_ as the song grew quiet for a good part. Arty stopped dancing to look at him, with a confused smile on his face, but then Daniel pointed at the door and the man looked over.

There was a handsome man with neatly combed dark brown hair, leaning on the doorway with his arms crossed. He would look even more handsome if he didn’t look mad.

“You can hear that shit all the way from downstairs, what’s wrong with you?” he asked as Arty put Geil down, clearing his throat. Arty rubbed his neck.

“Sorry… Come on kids, let’s get out of here.” He glanced at Daniel, the teen looking at the man in the doorway.

He most certainly looked like Jack; he had the man’s square jaw and sharp nose, but his eyes were green and different, hair brown unlike Jack’s blonde.

“This room is a hazard,” the man said, pushing off of the doorway and stepping away so that Arty and Geil could leave.

“Come on, Daniel,” Arty motioned the teen over, standing in the hallway. When Daniel came out of the room, shutting the door behind him, Arty started introducing.

“Johnathon, this is Daniel. Daniel, this is Johnathon,” he said. Johnathon looked at Daniel, his eyes narrowed like he was permanently angry. He probably was. He didn’t say anything, so Daniel didn’t say anything, either. Geil also didn’t.

Arty cleared his throat. “Where’s Shelly?”

“Downstairs. I don’t want her tripping on anything.”

“...Wise.” Arty motioned for Johnathon and started walking down the hall, the other man following him.

Geil held his arms up for Daniel and the teen looked at him. “You don’t like Johnathon?” he asked, flatly. Geil didn’t answer, meaning he just didn’t want to, or he didn’t personally remember Johnathon enough to like or dislike him.

Daniel picked Geil up, taking the boy with him after Arty and Johnathon.

“Where’s my dad?” The dark brunette asked. Arty exhaled.

“Work.”

Johnathon scoffed. “Work, work, work. When _is_ he here?”

He didn’t look at Arty, walking beside him and looking everywhere else. It was as though something had happened between them once. There are a number of things for that, though, Daniel thought. **A:** it’s the fact that they’re both the same age despite being step-father and son. **B:** it’s the fact that Johnathon’s baby brother died in this house, under Arty and Jack’s care. **C:** the fact that his father divorced his mother and married a young man. Or the special of **D:** all of the above.

“...I have the stuff boxed up near the backdoor,” Arty said, leading Johnathon and the boys downstairs.

When they got down there, there was a red-haired woman with freckled skin sitting on the couch. She looked over when hearing the men and stood up, smiling. She looked breathless, though, and she had to hold her stomach to get up; her stomach was humongous.

“Hi, Art. Sorry to drop by this early,” she said, walking around the couch to go to them. Johnathon shook his head at her.

“Go and sit down, the boxes are too far,” he said. Shelly leaned against the couch, holding her stomach. She looked like she wanted to complain, but she didn’t. Arty looked at Daniel.

“Hey kiddo, can you help her out? And watch Geil?”

Daniel wasn’t fond of leaving Arty alone with Johnathon, but he didn’t protest. Carrying Geil to Shelly, he put him on the couch.

“Stay there,” he said to the boy, who huffed. Shelly laughed, her air breathy. Daniel walked around to her, unconsciously looking her over.

She was pale, like she was sick. Her body was thin, making her stomach look bigger than it probably was, while she wore a black dress with different flowers over it. Her lips were shiny from chapstick and her brown eyes were lined with grey. She smiled at Daniel.

“Hi, are you the new addition? You’re cute,” she breathed. Daniel pressed his lips together.

“...Here, let me help you,” he said, reaching out to her. The woman put an arm over his shoulders and let him help her back to the couch, which she gripped the back of for further support.

“Do you have a baby?” Geil asked, sitting on his knees on the couch, watching her as Daniel helped her to sit. She hummed, sitting back in the cushions.

“Not yet. It’s in here,” she pointed at her stomach, and Geil reached out to touch it. Daniel caught him first, sticking his arm out and grabbing Geil’s wrist.

“No, Geil.”

“Aww, but I want to see the baby...”

“You can’t see it yet,” Shelly said, smiling at the boy. “You’ll get to when it’s born, though.”

“When will it born?”

Daniel didn’t correct him, sitting down in another chair.

“One more month,” the woman replied. Geil slipped off of the couch, hurrying off to the stairs. Daniel exhaled.

“Geil, where are you going?”

“To show her my toys!”

“No, come here.” Daniel looked around for the TV remote, finding it on the coffee table. Getting up from his seat, he snatched it up and turned on the television, which was already set to a cartoon show. Geil came back.

Shelly smiled softly at Daniel. “Do you like being a brother?” she asked, lightly. Daniel glanced at Geil, who climbed back onto the couch.

“...I suppose so, yes.”

“That’s good. Is it good here? Are you happy?”

“I am, yes.”

Shelly closed her eyes while smiling. “Good.”

“...You’re ill, are you?” Daniel asked, watching her. She opened her eyes to look at him. She nodded, but she didn’t look sad or anything.

“I have ovarian cancer. It’s hard a lot.”

“...Are you getting treatment?”

“No, not right now. Radiation could hurt the baby, so we’re waiting until it’s born.”

Daniel looked at her hair and she nodded, noticing. “It’s a wig from the treatments before,” she said. “I don’t want people worrying.”

“...You’re very mindful,” Daniel said to her, making her laugh.

“A little too much, Johnathon tells me. I’m sorry if he’s a little mean, he’s just stressed out.”

“I’m stressed,” Geil said, looking at Shelly, only catching those words of the conversation. She laughed again, but it looked like it hurt.

“Are you? Is it because your brother has his eyes on you?”

“Yeah, I’m stressed because his hair.”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “I can’t help it’s dark. I also don’t think you know what that word means.” Shelly laughed again.

“Shelly,” Johnathon sounded, making them all look over. He approached from the back of the house, with Arty behind him. “We’re gonna eat something here before we go.”

Shelly nodded. “Okay.”

Daniel looked at Arty, who turned to leave to the kitchen, silent. Johnathon walked to the couch, sitting beside Shelly so that Geil was on the other, because he didn’t want anything to do with the boy. Geil didn’t mind either, his attention back on the TV.

Daniel got up from his seat, looking at Geil briefly to make sure that he was still occupied, because if he ran off anywhere he wasn’t supposed to, Shelly couldn’t get him, and Johnathon sure as hell _wouldn’t_. When he saw that Geil was particularly interested in this show, he left to the kitchen, to Arty.

The man was at the counter, leaning on it by his elbows. He exhaled deeply, looking at the marble top.

“Is something wrong?” Daniel asked, starling the other brunette. Arty looked at him, heaving a low laugh.

“You scared me,” he said, getting up from the counter. Daniel walked to him, giving him a look.

“What’s wrong?” he asked again. Arty puffed his cheeks, shaking his head.

“...I don’t know what to make for Shelly. Johnathon said she needs-”

“A shake.”

“Excuse me?”

“My mother used to do shakes,” Daniel said, brushing passed Arty to the fridge. Opening it, he grabbed the carton of strawberries, and then he went to the counter to get a banana. Arty just watched him, quiet.

Daniel put the fruits on the cutting board and then opened the freezer, where he got the blueberries he had seen in there a while back. Then he opened the fridge again, getting some cream. Arty didn’t want to stop him, because he looked like he knew what he was doing, so the man just went to start cutting the fruits.

“Thank you,” Shelly said, holding the smoothie in her lap, “But I’m really full now,” she continued, smiling at Arty and Daniel in thanks. Johnathon looked from her face to the smoothie, which was still full; she had only taken a few sips from it. Geil had tried drinking some of it, but Arty convinced him to leave it alone.

Shelly looked at Johnathon with her tired eyes. “I think it’s time to go home,” she said. He stood up immediately, helping her up after putting the cup on the table. Arty also stood, so that he could see them out.

“We took everything out ahead of time, so you don’t need to worry about that,” he said to her and she clicked her tongue.

“Darn, I wanted to see some of it.”

“You’ll see it all at home,” Johnathon said.

They walked with her to the front door, Arty opening it so that Johnathon could help her to the car. Before they got onto the porch, though, Shelly doubled over in his arms and vomited on the floor.

Daniel went off to the kitchen, getting the roll of paper towels and bringing it to the three. He tore one off, handing it to Shelly so that she could wipe her mouth, and then he knelt so that he could start picking up the mess on the floor.

Arty rushed off to get a bag for in case she started puking again and Johnathon held her, watching as she swallowed down more puke from rising up.

“...I think I’m okay,” she murmured softly, her voice shaky. Johnathon didn’t let her go, watching her as though she was going to do it again.

Arty came back with a puke bag and a cold bottle of water, bringing them over. “Here, Johnathon.” Johnathon took them, keeping his arms around Shelly. He breathed through his nose.

“Come on,” he started walking with her again, taking her outside.

“Geil, get me a trash bag,” Arty called to the boy, kneeling beside Daniel to help him.

“How long has she been like that?” Daniel asked quietly, putting the used paper towels in a pile to the side. Arty sighed.

“I don’t know. They only came here once, a few years ago.”

“...Tell me something. Just something else.”

Arty looked at Daniel, who was looking at the mess on the floor. “Earlier when you asked if I knew Jack had kids before… I knew Johnathon back in high school. I didn’t know who his dad was until a long time later, when I went to his house once. It was after Jack and I had already started seeing each other, and it was so embarrassing.” He chuckled lightly. “I remember it really well, too. School finals were coming up, so John had asked me to come over for dinner, so that we could wind down and stuff. When we got there, it smelled like fresh barbecue- we were so excited. You can imagine the horror of when I saw it was Jack cooking.”

“Is that why Johnathon doesn’t like you?”

“Yeah. We were both twenty when Jack left his mom, so he was really mad. I wouldn’t blame him; it must have felt terrible.”

Geil came with a bag, not knowing that another was stuck to it.

“Thanks, babe.” Arty took the bag, tearing the other from it and putting it aside. Opening the chosen bag, the man started putting the trash in it. Daniel put his own in.

“Do you ever regret this life?” Daniel asked Arty, making the man look at him. He shook his head and put more trash in.

“No, why would you ask that?”

“I don’t know. You could have a different life right now. Do you think of that?”

“No, not really. Now you’ve got that on my mind, though,” Arty laughed. “Are you saying I could be married to some model and live by the sea?”

“Maybe.”

“Well, my husband is hot enough to be a model, and I like this sea of _snow_ better- get it?” He nudged Daniel with his elbow, making the teen smirk and roll his eyes at the cheesy, not so punny pun.

Arty stood up with the bag, leaving to throw it away. Daniel left to the kitchen to wash his hands, where Arty came in to do the same a moment later, so that he could get some cleaning spray to pick the mess up better. As Arty washed his hands, Daniel walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around the man’s waist, hugging him. Arty paused to look back at the teen.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Daniel didn’t say anything for a long while, just letting the running sink sound the kitchen. Then he did speak, quietly.

“Thank you for taking me in.”


	10. Chapter Ten: Jessica

Daniel had gotten Arty’s signature from some mail he found around and sitting in bed, he painted over the black scribble on the bottom of the man’s thermos.

Sitting against his wall, his knees up, he looked at the signature and painted _r_ in white paint, matching the writing.

 _A-r-t-y_. The thermos read _Arty_ again, in the man’s nice penmanship that Daniel had copied. The teen climbed out of bed, putting the paint and paintbrush on his desk before taking the thermos to his closet, where he set it upside down on the top shelf to dry.

He shut his closet doors and turned back to his desk, walking over to take up the paint supplies and take them back to the art room.

It was almost dinner time. Johnathon and Shelly had come in the morning and left at noon, and since then Arty had been cleaning the storage room, a little uncomfortable with its state after what Johnathon had said.

Daniel left the art room downstairs, going to the kitchen. When he was there, he grabbed the loaf of bread and some peanut butter; walking to the fridge, he got the grape jelly before snagging a butter knife and plate from the strainer. Taking everything to the table, he opened the bread bag and got two slices, putting them on the plate. He opened the peanut butter jar and started smearing it on a slice of bread with the dull knife. Then he wiped the blade clean with a paper towel before getting some jelly and spreading it over the other bread slice.

Twisting the bread bag to wrap it closed, he looked at the kitchen doorway when he heard soft pitterpattying. Geil came into the room, walking straight to the table like he was on a mission. Daniel raised an eyebrow at him.

“Hi, Danul,” Geil said, climbing into his chair. Daniel watched him while closing the bread bag. He ultimately decided not to answer, putting the bread down and closing the peanut butter and jelly jars.

“I’m hungry,” the boy sounded again. Daniel picked up the bread and jars, walking away to put them all up.

“And?”

“Can I have a sandich?”

“ _Sandwich_.” Daniel looked back at Geil, who was looking at the teen’s sandwich. The dark brunette rolled his eyes and put the stuff up before going back to the table, sitting down.

“Are you wanting mine?” he asked the child, looking at the boy’s light hair.

Geil looked up at Daniel and smiled, showing his growing teeth. “Can it have it?”

Daniel put his cheek on his hand, shrugging. “Are you allergic to peanuts?”

Geil nodded, his face getting sour. “Daddy says I can’t have peanuts.”

“Okay then, you can have it.” Daniel slid the plate to Geil, the boy perking up.

“Thank you, Daniel,” he said through a child’s smile before picking up the sandwich. Daniel watched him open his mouth to take a bite, bringing the food to his lips. Geil almost took a bite when Daniel suddenly put his hand out, putting his fingers against the child’s mouth to stop the sandwich from being eaten. Geil laughed like he was being messed with.

“You can’t have this one, it’s mine,” Daniel said, taking the sandwich from the child. Now Geil was confused.

“...I can’t have it?”

“No, not this one.” Daniel took the sandwich with him while he left the table to get the bread again, opening the fridge for some ham and cheese.

“You’re still sick, you need something warm,” the teen said, getting some butter. Geil lay his head on the table with a pout.

Putting everything down on the counter, Daniel took a bite of his sandwich, using one hand to get two slices of bread. He finished his own sandwich before buttering the new slices and putting them on a hot skillet to fry, butter side up. When the slices were toasted, he flipped them, the butter against the hot pan making a loud sizzling sound that made Geil sit up.

Putting the cheese on the hot bread, Daniel pulled some ham from the container and lay it over the shredded cheese. Then he put one bread over the other and cooked them, flipping the sandwich once, making sure the outside was dark and golden.

Turning the stove off, Daniel picked the sandwich up with his spatula and put it on a fresh plate, taking it to Geil, who bounced in his seat with a squeal of excitement.

“Sit still or you’ll fall. Don’t choke, either.” Daniel grabbed his own plate, taking it to the sink to wash it and the knife before putting them in the strainer to dry. Leaving to put up everything else, he could hear Geil humming and eating the sandwich at the table.

He decided to make another ham and cheese sandwich, taking it and a glass of of lemonade upstairs to the storage room, where Arty was making noises inside.

Knocking, Daniel peeked inside. “Arty?”

Arty looked at him from the table, which he was cleaning up. He had a few boxes empty and sitting flat against a wall, the room becoming more spacious. “Hey,” he smiled at Daniel, “What’s up?”

Daniel stepped into the room with the food and drink, taking them to Arty. “I thought you’d be hungry,” the teen said. Arty ruffled Daniel’s hair, smiling at him.

“Well thanks, Daniel! It looks good,” the man took the dishes and put them on the table, dusting his hands on his pants. Looking at Daniel, he motioned. “Do you want to hang out in here with me?” he asked, leaning his back against the table. Daniel shrugged and sat on a box.

“Sure.”

Arty took the sandwich to take a bite, waving it at Daniel. “That’s good!” he said through his bite. Daniel smiled.

“You’re welcome.”

Daniel sat quietly, watching Arty as the man ate. The older brunette crossed his legs at his ankles, looking around the room while eating, seeing how much work really needed to be done.

“This is all stuff from my childhood home; I didn’t want to leave anything with my mom,” Arty stated, glancing at Daniel. The teen looked around at things.

“Why did you never unpack it?”

“I was in college, and then I was working. And _then_ we adopted Geil.”

“When did you adopt him?” Daniel asked, leaning forward on his knees. Arty tapped his chin.

“Hm… he was almost two. Don’t be upset about your first day with my mom, she did that when we adopted Geil, too.”

“Could I ask you something of your parents?” Daniel asked and Arty nodded, shrugging.

“Sure.”

Daniel stood up and left the room, prompting Arty to follow him. They ended up walking to Geil’s room, which confused Arty just a bit, until Daniel continued to the child’s bed, where the photo of Arty and his dad was on the nightstand.

Arty hummed. “You want to ask me about my dad?”

“Only if you don’t mind,” Daniel said, sitting on Geil’s bed. Arty exhaled before going after and sitting beside Daniel on the bed.

“My dad...” he reached out to grab the photo, looking at it. Daniel watched the nightstand, Arty sitting close enough for the teen to feel his body warmth.

“Can you guess how old I am in this picture?” Arty asked. Daniel looked at the photo.

“Thirteen.”

Arty laughed a little. “No, but close. Twelve. This was taken a few months before my dad died- car crash.”

“...I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, it was a long time ago. Here,” Arty tapped Daniel’s knee before turning on the bed and lying on his stomach. Daniel followed pursuit, lying on his stomach beside Arty. The man held the picture over the edge of the bed, looking at it again.

“I don’t think my mom ever really cared about him, and my little brother was too young to know him that much. He was nice, though. He’d take me around on his motorcycle and we’d get free drinks from the town quick-stop. ...What about your family? Have any stories for me?” Arty looked at Daniel, who watched him.

“...My dad let me search for the basil, but I couldn’t find it.”

Arty smiled. “That’s a no, then, huh? Mysterious Daniel, so… mysterious.”

“Why do you think your mom didn’t like your father?”

“He liked to drink, among other things. My mom wanted to be noticed. I’m… glad he wasn’t around to see my brother. He really liked him, you know? ‘Little baby of the family…” He set the picture on the floor, the frame standing it up. Then he looked at Daniel, ruffling the teen’s hair.

“Don’t let me get you down, sorry about that. I just don’t talk about my family often,” the man said and offered Daniel a smile. The teen looked into Arty’s blue eyes.

“Why did you adopt me?” he asked.

Arty shook his head lightly. “To give someone a chance. It was really sad here, with all of our family history. Jack said once that it’s like we’re cursed, or something,” the man rolled onto his back, looking at Daniel, “I guess I wanted to prove him wrong.”

Daniel lightly touched Arty’s shoulder, looking over the man’s light face. The teen dipped down a little bit, looking at Arty’s lips. The man smiled some.

“What are you doing?” he asked, feeling Daniel’s breath ghosting over his face. Daniel looked back into Arty’s eyes, that were watching his in wonder.

Then the bedroom door opened.

“Arty, are you in here?” Jack sounded, coming into the bedroom. Daniel reached off of the bed to grab the picture, sitting up on the mattress and putting it on the nightstand, as though that’s what he were doing the whole time. Arty sat up, looking at Jack.

“Hey, you’re home early,” he said as the man walked over, a little quickly.

“I got the promotion,” Jack said, smiling. Arty jumped up from the bed, throwing his arms around Jack’s neck.

“Congratulations, babe!”

Daniel watched the two kiss, Arty obviously excited.

“No more working all night!”

“Well, there is _one_ thing,” Jack said. Arty groaned.

“A business trip- two days, come with me?”

Arty blinked, clearly taken aback. Daniel looked at the wall, putting his chin in his hand.

Jack grabbed Arty’s arms, watching him. “two days. We leave tomorrow morning, stay in a hotel; they want me to represent the company at a board meeting.” He caressed Arty’s skin lightly when the man didn’t say anything. “It’s just a few days, please?”

“You want us to leave the kids alone for two days?”

“No, we’ll hire that sitter- Jenny.”

“Jessica.”

“We’ll hire _Jessica_. She’s good, right? Don’t you like her?”

Daniel stood up, stretching his arms. “You two should go,” he said, looking over at the two. “It’s a good impression, Arty; you want him to keep the promotion, don’t you?”

Arty sighed, looking at Daniel. Then he rolled his gaze back to Jack before nodding. “Okay.”

l.l

Sitting at the lunch table consisted of Laura, Daniel, and Joe.

Joe didn’t do or say anything, just eating his mashed potatoes and chicken steak. Laura looked at Daniel, obviously confused.

She mouthed “What’s he doing here” to Daniel, the brunette watching her. He simply shrugged.

“Joe, do you want my juice?” he asked, looking at the dark haired teen. Joe looked at him and shrugged, reaching over the table to take it.

“Sure.”

Daniel looked back at Laura, who was even more confused now.

“Okay!” She leaned on the table, looking at the two. “What’s going on here?”

Joe opened the bottle of juice, drinking from it. “Can I sit with you guys?”

“Well… yeah, but-”

“He just wants to sit with us, now,” Daniel said. Laura huffed.

“Okay, but-”

“Joe, I was looking for you!” Kaiden sounded, walking over to the table. He stopped once there and looked at Daniel and Laura before looking back at Joe. “What are you doing over here?”

“Sitting,” Joe answered.

“...Well, come on; Lonnie brought some stuff from his house we can look at.”

Joe raised an eyebrow at him, closing the lid of the juice. “Like what?”

Kaiden looked at the other two before just motioning to Joe. “...Stuff. Are you coming?”

“No.”

Kaiden scoffed. “What are you even doing over here? You know he’s a fag, right?” He pointed at Daniel, who crossed his legs under the table. Laura shook her head.

“Kaiden, he’s not gay! Even if he was, why don’t you just _go away_!” She snapped at Kaiden, who laughed in response, although he sounded unsure, or embarrassed.

“Like, why are you sticking up for him?” he asked. This time, Joe spoke up.

“It’s annoying, Kaiden. Morrison is in the hospital and I don’t want to hang out with you guys when he’s still sick.” Glancing at Daniel, he could see the brunette looking Kaiden over, like he were reading him. Joe looked back at Kaiden. “We’re getting too old to be doing that “fag” shit anymore, anyway.”

Kaiden snorted. “So like, you want to hang out with the freaks now?”

Joe crossed his arms on the table, looking into Kaiden’s hazel eyes. “They’re only freaks if you don’t understand them.”

Kaiden watched Joe for a long time before turning and leaving the table. Once he was out of earshot, Laura gave a long breath.

“Wow. That was… something,” she said, looking at the table. Bringing her gaze up to Joe, she smiled, kindly. “So you’re not gonna be an asshole with them anymore?”

Joe shrugged. “Only if you want me to.” He laughed, making her smile a little more, because despite being smart, kind, and of average appearance, it wasn’t enough to attract many friends. Daniel stood from the table.

“Bell’s about to ring.”

Laura nodded, watching as Joe also got up, picking up his plate. She waved. “I’ll see you guys later.”

“See you,” Daniel said, tapping Joe’s arm for the teen to follow him. Joe waved to Laura.

“Later.”

l.l

“Hey man, how was the weekend?” Joe asked Daniel, putting his stuff beside him in art. Daniel shrugged.

“Twas alright.”

“That’s it? Who was that dude you had me call? He called me back yesterday.”

“Mm. Did you answer it?”

Joe laughed. “Hell no, why would I?”

Daniel shrugged again before slumping in his seat, something that Joe immediately marked as out-of-character. The raven haired teen leaned over in his seat to Daniel.

“What’s up?” he asked the brunette. Daniel rolled his eyes to look at Joe. He sighed.

“I have a sitter staying at my house for two days.”

Joe raised an eyebrow. “Why? You’re old enough to watch things.”

“Yes, but I can’t drive to school, now can I?”

“Oh, yeah, I guess not. Do you not like her or something?  
“Her fondness for watching children is a little disturbing. Driving Geil and I to school, she got a ticket for speeding. And texting.”

“Hm.” Joe looked over Daniel’s pale face before looking at his hair, still dripping at the tips from his shower after gym. He reached out to touch some of the curly locks. “You hair looks black when it’s wet,” he said, dropping his gaze to Daniel’s dark eyes. The brunette moved Joe’s hand away.

“I know.”

“Oh, hey!” Joe sort of scared Daniel from how loud he was, but the brunette kept himself and just sighed.

“ _What_?”

Joe laughed. “Sorry, I just remembered. I can drive. Like, I have my driver’s permit.” Daniel gave him a look.

“What?”

“Yeah, I have a permit. I don’t have a car, but my sister let’s me drive around with hers. I could like, drive you to school and stuff.”

“A permit doesn’t mean you can drive when or where you want.”

“So?”

Daniel shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, she’s already been paid.”

Joe clicked his tongue and shrugged. “Okay. Well, should I come over?”

“Why would you?”

“Support, I guess.”

“It’s fine.”

Joe turned in his seat and crossed his arms, looking at the table. He exhaled through his nose, making Daniel give him a look.

“What’s got you, now?” he asked.

“Nothing. I guess I just… Do you remember last Friday?” Joe looked at Daniel with his blue eyes and the other teen nodded simply.

“I do.”

“...Then, are we not gonna talk about it?”

“Talk of what, Joe? I don’t like riddles.”

Joe huffed, giving Daniel a look of annoyance. The other teen broke into a smile at the noirette’s misfortune. He ended up giving in.

“And what is it you need to talk about? Were the details not clear?”

“No, not _that_ ,” Joe leaned close to whisper to Daniel. “... _Tha_ _t_.”

Daniel closed his eyes for a moment, contemplating. He opened them again and spoke, “You mean, what I did for you, is that it?” Seeing the way Joe looked away shyly, he knew that that’s what the teen was trying to talk about. “What exactly are you asking about that? If it will happen again?” he asked, nudging the noirette when he didn’t look at him.

Joe glanced back at Daniel, lips pressed together. He reached up to run a hand through his dark locks. “...I guess, yeah.”

“Was it really that appealing?” Daniel laughed, making a girl look over from a craft she was working on. Joe gave Daniel a look.

“Daniel, I’m serious,” Joe whispered, looking at the girl. Upon being seen, she looked away. Daniel cleared his throat.

“I don’t know what to make of you. Are you shy, or aggressive, or lost?”

“ _Daniel_.”

“Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. I need a cellphone.”

“Why?”

“So I can talk to people. Get me a phone, hm?”

Joe gave Daniel a confused look, so Daniel added, “Oh, I forgot: Get me a cellphone, and I’ll treat you.” Joe seemed to understand that, because he looked away and nodded. Daniel rolled his eyes to himself and looked ahead at the classroom.

He’d have after school and tomorrow with _Jessica_.


	11. Chapter Eleven: Love For Children

“You’re not too upset about this trip, right?” Jack asked Arty, carrying their bags into the hotel room. Arty rolled his eyes and shrugged, although he was behind Jack and therefore, the other man couldn’t see. Arty slipped by Jack to sit on the bed.

“I’m upset we didn’t get to tell them “bye” first,” the brunette said and crossed his arms in his lap. Jack glanced over from where he put the bags down. The man sighed.

“Well, I asked you if we could leave early.”

“I know. But I didn’t think you meant _five_ in the morning. I mean, besides not telling the kids bye or good morning, Jessica was probably bored out of her mind!”

Jack laughed, “If Jessica was bored, that’s on her.” Arty frowned, giving Jack a look. Then he just shook his head and lay down on the bed. He was tired. It was a four hour drive to the city, and then they had to meet the board, which consisted of five hours talking to strangers, having a tour around the giant building, and sitting out while Jack talked to the “Big man”. It was about time the kids got out of school, and Arty was more than ready to just pass out. Jack was still awake as always, probably from being _used_ to working all day like this.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Jack said and walked to the bed, sitting on it beside Arty. The younger brunette looked up at Jack, who’s grey eyes were on him. “What’s really wrong?” he asked.

Arty shook his head. “Nothing. ...Ugh, it’s my fucking necklace. You said you’d help me look but you haven’t, and I still haven’t found it.” He sat back up on the bed, watching Jack for an answer. His husband sighed.

“You know I’m always busy, you could have reminded me while we were _home_ instead of four hours _away_. You still can’t find it?”

“No. I’ve look in your office, in our bed, the bathroom- pretty much everywhere.”

Jack shook his head with a single shrug, exhaling. “I don’t know what to say; maybe it fell under a dresser or something.” Arty gave him a look and stood up to go to the bathroom, but Jack grabbed his wrist, making the brunette look at him. “Come here,” the man pulled Arty into his lap, wrapping his arms around the brunette’s waist. Arty looked back at his husband.

“You’d better seriously help me find it. I mean it,” he said. Jack nodded.

“I will.”

l.l

“Your parents will be here tomorrow night,” Jessica said to Geil, stirring some cookie dough in a bowl. That was the only part of the conversation Daniel had heard, walking into the kitchen to get a bottle of water. Hearing him come in, Jessica looked over and smiled. “Hi, Daniel.”

“Jessie’s making cookies,” Geil said to Daniel as the teen walked passed. He shrugged.

“Good. You call her “Jessie”?” he asked, glancing over. Geil smiled and nodded.

“She says I can call her Jessie.”

“”She” is right here, and you can call me whatever you want, too, Daniel,” Jessica said, looking at Daniel. The teen watched her for a moment before turning away to get the water.

“Do you want to lick the spoon?” she asked Geil while Daniel walked by to leave the kitchen, but he paused when he got a whiff of peanuts. Turning back to Jessica and Geil, he pointed at the woman.

“Geil is allergic to peanuts- are those peanut biscuits?”

Jessica laughed, but it sounded as though she were embarrassed. “Well-”

“No “well”. Get that stuff away from him.” Daniel looked at Geil, who was sitting on the counter beside Jessica. “And get him down from there- don’t you watch kids for a living?” He walked back to Geil, picking him up from the counter. The child was extremely devastated about not eating the cookie dough.

Jessica cleared her throat and smiled at the two, forcibly. Daniel concluded that she didn’t like being put in her place. “Alright then,” she said, “How about I make some chocolate chip, or something?” Daniel shrugged.

“As long as they aren’t peanuts, I don’t care what you do.”

“Oh Daniel...” Jessica put a hand on the teen’s shoulder, looking into his eyes. “He’s just your brother, not your son; lighten up.” She caressed her hand over his shoulder, and he tried reading what was in her eyes. Unhappy contentment. She wasn’t happy with the fact that she was upset with Daniel. Could it be that she had something wrong with her mind? A psychopath, maybe? ...Like him?

“I’m your paycheck, not your play toy,” Daniel said before turning out of the room with Geil, taking him upstairs to his own bedroom.

“Are we still getting cookies?” Geil asked when Daniel put the boy on his bed. Daniel nodded.

“Yes, I’m sure.” He went to sit in his desk, looking out the window before him that showed the snowy outside. “Geil,” he said, “Be honest. Do you like me or Jack better? Your older daddy.” He could hear Geil getting comfy on his bed.

“Mm, I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“No, I don’t know.”

“Alright, then. And how much do you like Jessica? Does she ever touch you like your parents touch each other?” Daniel asked, looking at the boy. Geil was lying on his side, his back to his adoptive brother. Daniel could tell that Geil was having another one of his silent episodes, so the teen stood from his desk and went to his backpack, opening it and pulling out the recorder.

“Testing,” he spoke into it and pressed PLAY, his voice being spit back out to him.

“ _Testing.”_

So it works. Daniel put the recorder in his pocket and left to Geil, covering the boy up with the blanket before leaving the bedroom to the bathroom.

If Jessica was how he thought she was, she would come looking for Daniel. How he would go looking for Arty.

Sitting on the rim of the bathtub, Daniel waited to hear Jessica. It took a little longer, maybe fifteen minutes, before he heard her voice down the hallway.

“Daniel, Geil, the cookies are done!” she called down the hall. Daniel pulled out the recorder and pressed RECORD before walking to the toilet. Opening the lid to the tank, he put the recorder inside so that it would balance on a rod and hopefully not fall into the water. Putting the lid back on, he left to open the bathroom door.

“What is it, Jessica?” he asked, seeing the woman walking down the hall. She turned when she heard him and smiled.

“Oh, well, the cookies are done. Do you guys want some?”

“Geil is asleep, and I was just about to hop into the shower.”

This seemed to peek Jessica’s interest, as the woman approached the bathroom, looking at Daniel.

“Hm… Geil is asleep?”

“He is. He wanted to nap, so I let him into my room. Why?”

Jessica held her hands in front of her, smiling innocently. “Well, because the cookies are still warm. Come down and get some.” She motioned to the stairs, but Daniel hummed.

“I’m not too big a fan of sweets. If you don’t mind, I’m going to shower and do my homework; clear my head.”

“You know Daniel, I’m sorry about the peanuts; I didn’t know.” Jessica reached out, putting a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. The teen held back his discomfort.

“It’s alright, I apologize for telling you as I did.”

“It’s okay Daniel. Do you know how sweet your face is? Your girlfriend is really lucky.” Jessica smiled, stepping closer to the teen. Daniel tilted his head, furrowing his eyebrows.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, though.”

Jessica gasped, watching Daniel’s seemingly confused face. “Why? If you smiled just a little more, all the girls in your school would be all over you.”

“I was told to wait until adulthood for that sort of stuff.”

“So you’ve never even… had your first kiss?”

“No, I haven’t. When did you have yours?”

Jessica giggled some and bit her lip. “I was a little younger than you. Do you want to do it? Kiss someone?”

“Well, I guess everyone does, don’t they?”

With Jessica’s pressing steps, the two ended up in the center of the bathroom, something Daniel noticed was happening but let it, for the sake of acting.

“Well, how about I take your first kiss, then?” she asked, putting her arms over Daniel’s shoulders and moving closer to him, until he could smell peanut butter on her breath, meaning she had probably decided to lick the spoon. He really didn’t want her to kiss him; not that it was going to be his first or anything, but because she was just so… disturbing.

“I don’t think my parents would be happy,” Daniel said. Jessica just smiled, though.

“They don’t have to know.” She pressed forward and kissed him, and it was just as long and gross as he imagined it would be. When she finally ended it, she hummed.

“Why don’t we take this a little step forward?” she whispered. Daniel cleared his throat.

“I just don’t know if I’m… comfortable with this, though.”

“Oh Daniel, since when are bathrooms comfortable? Lets… take this to the master bedroom.”

Daniel couldn’t let her leave, because the recorder was in the toilet. He cleared his throat again. “I don’t know if I-”

“Alright, we’ll just make this quick, okay?”

After that was all done, Daniel actually did take a shower. A very good one. And he brushed his teeth roughly until there was blood when he spat into the sink.

He decided that Geil didn’t have to leave his room, because the child actually did end up falling asleep, so Daniel just put the recorder under his mattress and climbed into bed with Geil.

Then at school, Daniel got the new cellphone.

“It’s kind of cheap, but it should work alright,” Joe said, watching Daniel as the teen looked the phone over. It was a prepaid phone, so it didn’t have a server, just minutes to pay for as you go.

“It’s perfect, thank you. Will you be paying for the minutes, then?”

Joe shrugged. “Yeah, they aren’t that much. I already put my number in it, so you can text me and stuff.”

Danile nodded while putting the phone in his pocket. “Thank you.”

Looking Daniel over, Joe furrowed his eyebrows. “Is that a hickey?” he asked, reaching out and poking the brunette’s collarbone. Daniel rolled his eyes.

“Probably.”

“Well, why?”

“I told you, the sitter’s love for children is a little disturbing.”

Joe gawked and shook his head. “Are you serious?” his voice came a little louder, making a few students look over from where they stood in the hallway. Daniel gave Joe a look.

“Don’t attract attention, I’m already dealing with it.”

“Is that why you need the phone?”

“Oh, no. I just need that to contact you. In case anything goes awry, but I may not if you get me noticed,” Daniel said, making Joe cross his arms in discomfort.

“...Okay, sorry. Is she picking you up after school, then?”

“Yeah, my parents are coming home tonight; I’m stuck with her until then.”

Joe sighed. “That sucks. What are you planning on doing?”

l.l

“Oh my god, I’m so happy to be home,” Arty got out of the car, stretching. Jack also got out of the car, heading to the trunk to get their luggage, but Arty beckoned him.

“Come on, we’ll unpack in the morning or something- I want to see Geil!”

Jack made a U-turn from the trunk to walk to Arty, putting an arm around the brunette’s waist.

“Can we talk about how happy the board was, though?” Jack said in excitement, making Arty look at him and smile.

“You make everyone happy,” he said and kissed the man before walking to the front door, trying the doorknob but finding it to be locked. Jack quirked an eyebrow.

“Did you tell her we were back yet?” he asked. Arty nodded, holding out a hand to the blonde.

“Here, hand me the keys.”

Jack handed them over and Arty found the house key, unlocking the door and opening it. The lights were on, but the living room was empty.

“Jessica! Kids!” Arty called, looking at Jack as the man shut the door behind them. Jessica came running down the stairs, smiling big.

“Hey, you guys are back!” she said happily. Arty huffed and smiled.

“Yeah, after a long ride. Where are the kids?” he asked, taking off his coat. Jessica waved at the stairs.

“Oh, they’re painting and stuff. How was the meeting and all that?” she asked, looking at the two of them. Jack smiled.

“It was great.”

Arty motioned to Jessica. “You have a little lipstick smeared,” he said, making her flush and laugh it off.

“I wouldn’t doubt it, I was roughhousing with Geil,” she replied, making Arty nod in reply.

Said child came down the stairs with Daniel, breaking off and running to Arty and Jack to hug them. “You’re back!” he squealed. Arty picked him up, hugging him.

“I know!”

Jessica clapped her hands. “Here, let me get you guys something to drink, that must have been a rough ride.” She left to the kitchen and Daniel waited until Geil had both Jack and Arty’s attention before going to the coat rack, where Jessica’s purse hung.

Pulling the pair of Geil’s underwear he had hidden a few days ago out of his pocket, he stuffed the cotton into her purse; just before Jack looked at him.

“Hey, how was the sitter?” he asked. Daniel reached up to rub his neck awkwardly.

“...Come here,” he whispered, walking off to a separate room. Jack raised an eyebrow in question before following him.

“What’s up?” he asked while shutting the door behind them. Daniel shifted uncomfortably, taking in a hiss of air.

“...Jessica… did something,” he said. Jack gave him a look.

“Like what?”

When Daniel didn’t answer, Jack motioned lightly with a hand. “Whatever happened, you can tell me,” he said. Daniel sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out the recorder. Jack watched him in confusion, but then Daniel pressed PLAY.

“ _I was a little younger than you. Do you want to do it? Kiss someone?”_ Jack heard Jessica’s voice come from the recorder, followed by Daniel’s.

“ _Well, I guess everyone does, don’t they?”_

“ _Well, how about I take your first kiss, then?”_

“ _I don’t think my parents would be happy,” Daniel said._

“ _They don’t have to know.”_

The voices were too muffled to hear what happened, but because there was a pause in Jessica and Daniel’s conversation, he assumed it was the kiss they talked of.

“ _Why don’t we take this a little step forward?”_

“ _I just don’t know if I’m… comfortable with this, though.”_

“ _Oh Daniel, since when are bathrooms comfortable? Lets… take this to the master bedroom.”_

“ _I don’t know if I-”_

“ _Alright, we’ll just make this quick, okay?”_

There was shuffling in the audio, but then Jessica’s voice sounded again, with a giggle and some vulgar words, and Daniel stopped playing the recording. Jack was… disgusted, to say the least.

“When did this happen? Why didn’t you call-”

“It was yesterday after school. ...I wanted to ring you, but she wouldn’t let me.”

Jack shook his head. “I can’t believe this. Did she do anything else? After that?”

“...Yes.”

Jack turned to leave the room, but Daniel grabbed his shirt, making the man look back at him.

“It wasn’t just me. ...I saw her put Geil’s pants in her purse.”

Jack left the room, leaving Daniel alone. The teen stifled his laughter and followed after Jack when he heard Jessica’s voice greet him.

“Oh, here’s your drink, Jack,” she said, holding the glass out to the man. He didn’t take it, pointing at her purse instead.

“Can I look in that?”

Jessica shrugged, confused. “…Sure?”

“Jack, what are you...” Arty watched Jack as the man pulled the sitter’s purse from the coat hanger, opening it. Reaching inside, he felt cotton and shook his head, pulling the fabric out. It was Geil’s underwear.

“What is this doing in here?” Jack asked Jessica, stern. Arty looked from Jack to the sitter, confused.

Jessica pointed, chuckling nervously. “That- I actually don’t know why those are in there.”

“What’s going on?” Arty asked, looking back at Jack. The man scowled and looked at Jessica.

“Please explain, _Jessica_ ,” he said. She just watched them in light confusion, swallowing.

“ _Do you like it if I touch you here?”_

“ _I… I’m not sure.”_ Jessica and Daniel’s voices sounded and the adults looked at Daniel, who held up the recorder. Jessica’s expression dropped and she glared at the teen before dropping Jack’s drink and running at him. Screaming in anger, she slapped Daniel and pushed him onto the ground, getting on top of him and hitting him, grabbing him by the hair and slamming his head into the ground.

“I’m going to kill you!” Jessica screamed, her voice breaking as Jack ran over and grabbed her, throwing her off of Daniel. Arty brought Geil to Daniel, trying to see if the teen was alright.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he asked her. Jack grabbed her when she tried getting up to attack Daniel again.

“She raped them!” Jack tried holding Jessica, but she wretched an arm free and scratched him on the side of his face, making him let her go in shock. She took off for the front door and the man ran right after, yelling at her to stop.

Arty got out his phone to call the police, Geil asking him what was happening, and Daniel wiping blood from his mouth.

l.l

“Can we do a rape kit or something? How long is she going to be in jail?” Jack asked an Officer Davies. Davies shook his head, glancing at the cop car that held a screaming Jessica.

“Well, she’s obviously assaulted your family, so I’ll make sure we can hold her as long as we can. ‘Thing about that is, we have to let her go if she gets bail. She will go to court though, and I’m absolutely sure the judge is gonna see what… sort of person she is. If you guys press charges, that is,” he said.

Jack scoffed. “We’re absolutely pressing charges,” he muttered. Officer Davies nodded, putting his hands on his belt.

“Well, as far as a rape kit, those things take time and leave _everyone_ feeling uncomfortable. Honestly, they don’t always show. And as for the fact it’s a woman assaulting two boys, I don’t thing _anything_ would show. ‘Best thing to do is make your kids feel comfortable, maybe try and forget some of it.”

“Is he going to be okay?” Arty asked the medic, who just finished patching Daniel up in the back of the ambulance. The woman nodded.

“Yes, he’ll probably just be a little sore. I don’t think that cut on his forehead will need stitches, as long as he doesn’t do anything to pull it open,” she said, offering the man a smile. Then she left, to throw away her gloves, and Arty looked at Daniel, who sat on the back of the ambulance, legs dangling out. The man sighed.

“You okay?” he asked. Daniel nodded, licking his busted lip.

“I’m alright.”

“...I’m sorry, about her. I didn’t know she was-”

“It’s alright, Arty. I’m just thankful you guys care so much.” Daniel smiled a little, his face battered with a red cheek, split lip, and cut on his forehead. Arty sighed again.

“...I mean, _damn_. Do you want to stay home tomorrow? I’ll let you,” Arty pet Daniel’s head, watching him sadly. The teen laughed some.

“I’m truly alright, Arty. It wouldn’t be fair to Geil, I’ll go to school.”

Arty puffed. “Okay, okay. ...You sure you’re okay? Normal kids don’t want to go to school.”

“Yeah, I want to see my friends,” Daniel said, smiling to Arty. The man clicked his tongue and nodded, smiling.

“Okay, then. Let’s have like, pizza for dinner, yeah?”

Daniel chuckled. “Okay.”


	12. Chapter Twelve: Snake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, I know this chapter is a little shorter and all over the place, but it’s just incorporating some stuff for the later chapters.

Before first hour, Daniel managed to avoid Laura enough to get to his locker. But, it wasn’t enough to avoid Joe, who was leaning against the lockers on his side when Daniel shut his locker door after grabbing his books.

“What are you doing?” Daniel asked, glancing at Joe while spinning the lock on his locker to clear the memory. Joe breathed in to talk but quickly lost interest in what he was going to say, furrowing his eyebrows and reaching out.

“Dude, what happened?” he asked, touching Daniel’s lightly swollen cheek, making the latter take in a hiss of pain and swat Joe’s hand away.

“Nothing. ...My plan worked, is all,” the brunette said in hidden satisfaction at the success of it all, watching Joe as the other teen scoffed and shook his head.

“You… are very adamant.”

Daniel shrugged, glancing down at his books. “I don’t tolerate disarray.” He then took in a breath and looked back at Joe, tilting his head. “Am I forgetting something?” he asked, making Joe give him a confused look.

“...I don’t know?”

“Ah,” Daniel clicked his tongue and smiled, “I haven’t paid you back for the cellphone.” Joe immediately looked away, reaching a hand up to rub his neck awkwardly.

“...I mean.. you haven’t contacted me for anything yet.”

“You want me to call you?” Daniel laughed, eliciting a single shrug from Joe.

“I mean, just a text… or something.”

“You’re such a puppy. Come, follow me,” Daniel took his bag off to put the books inside, zipping it some before flinging it back over his shoulder. He then grabbed Joe’s wrist, pulling him along as he started walking down the hallway. Looking ahead, Joe could see that they were heading to the bathroom. He immediately pulled back in Daniel’s grip, making the other teen look back at him.

“What?” Daniel asked.

Joe cleared his throat. “H-here?”

“Well, why not? It’s a bother when I don’t finish my word quickly- I don’t like having delays.”

“Just… doing it another time is a delay? What about the shed at your house!”

“Joe, come into the bathroom.” Daniel gave Joe a look of annoyance, but he ended up looking passed the noirette and saw Kaiden, the other teenager standing at his own locker with some friends; new, by the looks of their faces. He was looked at Daniel, with some sort of anger in his eyes like he knew what the foreigner was doing- and with his own friend. Daniel looked back at Joe.

“Let’s go,” he said. Joe looked hesitant, but it didn’t last long: he followed Daniel into the bathroom.

It was one thing to hate Kaiden. It was another to take his best friend away. Pulling Joe to the farthest bathroom stall, Daniel opened the door, shutting and locking it when they were both inside. He stepped close to Joe and reached out to pinch the teen’s pants, pulling the button open and sliding down his fly. Looking at Joe, the noirette was looking down, his cheeks flushed with warmth.

“Look at me,” Daniel said. Joe exhaled through his nose and looked at the brunette.

“Why?” he asked awkwardly, glancing away again when his eyes caught Daniel’s. Daniel watched him, waiting.

“Because I like your eyes.”

Joe looked back at Daniel with his blue eyes, pressing his lips together in nervousness.

 

_Two months later_

 

Arty watched his reflection in the bathroom mirror as he brushed his teeth, his blue eyes tired from a lack of sleep the night before. Since Jack was working his way up the corporate ladder, he was having to leave earlier. Working earlier, though, meant that he could get off earlier; on time for dinner and such. But…

He spat into the sink and sighed, leaning over the porcelain. “So lonely,” he grumbled and rinsed his toothbrush before putting it up. Cleaning the sink before leaving the bathroom, he left to wake up Geil for school.

Entering the bedroom, he walked to the child’s bed and sat on the edge of the mattress and looked at Geil’s sleeping form.

He was still small and having attention problems, but he had to be put on some medication last month that made him a little groggy in the mornings, which made the mornings more awkward, because Arty and Daniel would have to try and keep Geil awake to the point that he would be alright at his school.

“Geil,” Arty spoke, reaching out to pat the boy’s head and wake him up. The child opened his eyes and looked at Arty, drool on his cheek. He gave a tired smile.

“Hi.”

“Hi, Geil. Hop up so we can get ready for school.” Arty got up from the bed and waited for Geil to sit up before leaving to the dresser to get his clothes. “How did you sleep?” he asked while sifting through Geil’s shirt drawer. Geil yawned from his bed.

“I had a bad dream.”

“Oh. Want to talk about it?” Arty glanced back at Geil, the boy getting out of bed. He shook his blonde head.

“No. It turned into a good dream.”

Arty snorted. “Okay, good.” He tossed a shirt to Geil, the cloth landing onto Geil’s shoulder. The boy started taking off his shirt to put it on, and Arty fished out the rest of the child’s outfit to set on his bed. He put a hand on Geil’s head and looked at him.

“I’m gonna go make breakfast, can you dress on your own?”

Geil smiled and nodded. “Yeah.” Arty smiled and pat his head.

“Thanks. Then you’ll take your medicine while you eat.”

Turning away from Geil and leaving the room, Arty decided to make a detour to Daniel’s room to get him up. Walking down the hallway and turning to Daniel’s room, Arty opened the door to step inside, pausing when he saw flesh. Daniel looked at the door from where he stood beside his desk, pulling his shirt off. He gave a light smile.

“Good morning, Arty,” he said as he tossed the shirt into his hamper. Arty backed back out of the room, waving to Daniel.

“Sorry! I thought you’d be asleep,” he said. Daniel quirked an eyebrow at the door that hid Arty and smiled to himself.

“It’s alright,” he chuckled. “Actually, I have something to show you. Come in, please.” He waited a moment, for the door to open again to an apprehensive Arty, before walking to his bed where he had his backpack, and opening it. Arty walked to Daniel’s side so that he could look at whatever it was, awkward because… Daniel was growing. As in, he had had his birthday last month and started losing the thin frame that he had when he arrived into the household. Since he was playing basketball, he had gotten a lot more interested in working out to stay in shape, which gave him some sets of muscle that made him look older than his age.

There is a time when you stop going into people’s bedrooms, and Daniel had reached that point. Still, Arty took the light canvas from Daniel when the teen held it out from his bag.

Looking at it, Arty raised his eyebrows is surprise. “Wow! This is… _really_ good, Daniel!”

It was an anatomical study of hands, oil painted for art class. Or rather, for Arty. The strokes were smooth, the blending so fine it looked as though there was no work put into it; like it were natural. Hands with white paint dripping off of the fingers like they were trying to hold it, and forearms that dissolved to show the tendons of muscle underneath the skin that made the arm. Arty looked at Daniel.

“This is seriously good, Daniel- how long did it take to make this?”

Daniel smiled, standing straight from bending over his bag. “Not too long, since the canvas is so small. But if you...” the teen reached out to take Arty’s hand, the older brunette hesitant. Daniel took Arty’s hand and wiped one of his fingers over the painting, where some sticky paint of being wet caught him. Arty scoffed and looked back at Daniel.

“You smudged it!”

Daniel laughed some, letting Arty take his hand away. “Oil paints take a long while to dry; it’s been drying for a week.”

Arty rolled his eyes and wiped the paint on his pants. “Well, don’t _ruin_ it.”

“It isn’t ruined. I can paint over it. But, it’s for you.”

Looking at Daniel’s smile, Arty huffed a small one in return and almost pat the teen’s shoulder, but pulled his hand back when he remembered that he was shirtless, and that would have been awkward. The man laughed and shook his head at the situation, waving Daniel off.

“Hurry up and get dressed so we can eat breakfast,” he said, embarrassed. Daniel watched him with a smile of interest.

“Arty,” he said, “Turn to me.” Arty ran a hand through his hair, moving the brown strands from his face. He turned to Daniel and crossed his arms.

“What?”

“I’m almost taller than you,” Daniel said. Arty laughed again and pointed at the teen.

“We’ll see about that after school. _Speaking of which_ ,” he pointed off to Daniel’s closet. “Finish up!”

Turning and leaving the room, Arty went to his own to put the canvas up on a shelf before leaving to the kitchen to start making breakfast.

Even with Jack’s help, Arty’s necklace was still missing, to the point that it was frustrating to think about it, so he tried not to. Sitting at the kitchen table, he just listened to the sizzling of the bacon.

At least the kids were getting along well at school.

“Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man…” Geil slapped his hands together before patting them against Daniel’s in the backseat of the car. It was Daniel’s idea, to keep Geil awake, and he picked up the game’s pace when he noted that the boy’s eyes seemed to be getting heavy. Arty occasionally looked at the rear view mirror to watch the two play.

Daniel ended the game and pat Geil’s head when the blonde child yawned.

“Are you falling asleep on me, Geil?” he asked, the child nodding and wiping his teary eyes from the yawn.

“Not on purpurse.”

“That’s alright. Try and stay awake for daddy while I’m gone, hm?”

Geil nodded, rubbing his tired face with his hand. “Yeah.”

The car rolled to a stop at the high school and Daniel got out. He shut the door while Geil moved to lie down on the seat, and then the teenager walked around the car to Arty’s door, where he waited for the man to unroll the window.

“What’s up?” Arty asked softly, this new morning adjustment of Jack leaving early and Geil being less enthusiastic taking a visible toll. There was even a time change, so the sky was dark. Daniel leaned forward on the door’s window, close to Arty.

“Are you really thinking this medicine for Geil is right?”

Arty shrugged and shook his head. “I don’t know. They say to give medication time.”

Daniel watched Arty for a moment, looking at the man’s blue eyes. He was one to talk about medication, despite not taking his own.

The teen smiled. “Alright, what you think is best. I’ll see you after school.” Arty nodded, stretching in his seat.

“I’ll see you later.”

During lunchtime, Kaiden snuck into the principle’s office while he was out taking a troubled student to the cafeteria. He raced to the filing cabinet and pulled open the drawers, sifting through the light folders.

 _A, B, C...E… H, I, J, K, L…._ M. Mason.

The teen found the tab that read _Mason, Daniel_ and pulled the folder out, opening it.

Sifting through the transcript papers and classes for anything discriminating, he found something else entirely- something _better_ than what he was looking for. His familial reports.

Taking the reports and folding them, Kaiden put the papers in his coat pocket before stuffing the folder back inside the file cabinet and shutting the drawers. Then he left back out of the office.

“Aw, that’s a cute dog,” Laura said to Daniel, kneeling beside the teen. He shrugged while petting the dog.

“It looks alright.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “It is so cute.” Reaching out, she started petting the fluffy brown dog, which was small and collarless. She let it lick her, smiling. Then she looked around the parking lot of the school.

“Where’s your dad?” she asked. Daniel glanced at her before looking at the cars.

“I’m not sure. Late, probably. The little one is having some problems lately.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Daniel shrugged and looked back at the dog, with was looking at him with blue eyes and a tongue hanging out of its open mouth as it panted happily. He smiled some at the happy dog.

Laura pet the dog again before standing up. “Well, I’ve got to get home. Do you want to wait at my house? Or something?”

Daniel shook his head. “No, I’m fine here.”

He waited for her to leave before scratching the dog behind its ears. “You’re a little fat for being a stray,” he murmured to it, letting it climb into his lap and plop down. He smiled. “I’ll call you Chunky, if that’s alright.” The dog’s fluffy tail wagged happily and Daniel scratched its head.

l.l

“I’m fucking serious, today’s _not_ a good day,” Arty said and tried slipping passed Henry, but the man blocked him by standing firmly in the doorway. Arty glared at him.

“I have to pick up the kids, go home,” he said. Henry watched Arty for a moment before holding up his hands in defense.

“I was just wanting to know if I could stay here for a bit,” he said and smiled, making Arty even more furious and annoyed.

“ _Why_? You’re never up to any good- go away!”

“Well, Jack already said I could, so I guess I’m actually just here to tell you.”

Arty shook his head. “Jack did _not_ say that.”

“He did,” Henry said through a humorous smile. “Because I’ve just quit my job and need somewhere to recover. Mentally.”

“Ugh you’re such a snake- how does he ever believe you? Honestly!” Arty dragged a hand down his face. “ _Please_ move.”

“Be nice Arty, I’m in need of familial love,” Henry said and reached out to touch Arty, but the other man slapped his hand away before poking him hard in the chest.

“You’re drinking, aren’t you?” Arty shook his head again. “God, I hate you so much. I can _not_ be late to pick up Geil, let me through!” Arty pushed into Henry to move him, but the other man moved anyway, making Arty stumble and fall into the snow outside.

Hearing Henry laughing at him made him want to beat him up, but Arty had to get the kids, so he just retaliated by throwing snow at Henry angrily, the blonde man escaping into the house. Arty got up from the ground and dusted himself off briefly before getting into his car and pulling out of the driveway, squealing onto the road and screeching off.


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Scott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiden is starting to get under Daniel's skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I got ahead with some chapters, I'm gonna upload one a little sooner, because I'm still upset about updating really late. And, because I can. c:

****“Uncle Henry!” Geil ran to the man when he, Daniel, and Arty arrived home. Henry stood from the couch he was sitting on with Jack and picked the boy up, smiling to him.

“Hey, Geil! My favorite nephew~” Henry pinched Geil’s plump cheek and the child frowned, but it was short lived because he was tickled into laughing. Arty rolled his eyes and walked to Jack, sitting on his husband’s lap and wrapping his arms around the man’s neck. Despite the random act of love, Jack smiled at Arty and put an arm around the brunette’s waist before being kissed.

Daniel rolled his eyes, this time.

Arty kissing Jack to upset Henry seemed to work, because the other man was watching with what looked like “Two can play this game” in his eyes. All Daniel could think of was how childish this all was. He wanted to end the game.

“Arty,” he said aloud, catching everyone’s attention. Arty looked over and smiled.

“Yeah?”

“We still need to see who’s taller.”

l.l

Jack was the designated measure, using a pencil to mark lines on the wall over everyone’s heads. First was Geil, who stood against the hallway wall with his head held up; Jack had to move his head down twice so that he could get the proper height line, and then he wrote _Geil – 6_. Geil stepped away from the wall and turned to look at the line, grinning happily. Then he turned to Jack with slight confusion.

“I think it’s not right,” he said. Jack laughed.

“It always looks shorter when you look at it, it’s okay,” Daniel spoke and stepped to the wall to stand next to Geil’s line. Jack stood up from kneeling to get the teen’s proper height and Geil walked poutily to Henry, who leaned against the opposite wall to watch the event.

Henry pushed off of the wall to grab Geil and lift him up into the air, sitting him on his shoulders. The boy immediately squealed in excitement.

“Ready?” Jack asked Daniel, putting the pencil over his head and pressing the tip of the led to the wall. Daniel chuckled and shrugged.

“That’s the question for Arty- I think he’s stopped growing.”

Arty scoffed and pointed. “You’d better put that ego away!” he laughed, making Daniel’s dimples show as the teen laughed, shaking his head. Jack scratched the pencil over the wall in a fine line and let Daniel move so that the teen could see it after. He looked at Arty and pointed to his height line.

“Beat that,” he said and winked, making Arty gawk before shaking his head with more laughter.

“This ego!” The man went to ruffle Daniel’s hair, the teen moving away to fix it by shaking his head and running his fingers through his curls.

Jack wrote _Daniel – 16_ before waving Arty over. “Come here,” he said. Arty ruffled Daniel’s hair again before going to Jack and standing against the wall. He stuck his tongue out at Daniel as Jack got the pencil ready, making the teen smile. Then Jack scratched the tip along the wall and Arty stepped away, turning to look; as did everyone else like it were something truly important.

As Jack wrote _Arty – 28_ , he spoke aloud, “It’s a close call you guys, but...” he glanced back at everyone, “Daniel’s a little taller.”

Arty immediately broke into playful anguish, falling against the wall and banging a fist against it.

“No! No!”

Geil laughed, despite not really knowing what was going on. Jack pulled out his phone to take a picture of the lines, speaking to Henry through Arty’s hearty sobs.

“You want me to measure you?” he asked his brother, putting his camera into focus. Henry shook his head, reaching up to grab Geil and lift him off of his shoulders, putting him on the floor.

“No, I’m alright. I think I’m actually gonna go and set up that guest room,” Henry said. Jack nodded while taking the shot, looking at the picture to make sure it was alright before locking his phone and putting it back into his pocket. Geil went to pat Arty’s side when he saw that Daniel was patting the man’s back, the older brunette wiping fake tears away and sighing.

“Okay, I think I’m alright now,” Henry heard Arty say as he walked off to the guest room, which was beside the art room. Glancing back at the group, he could see Arty putting an arm around Daniel’s shoulder to hug the teen with a big smile, looking down at Geil while petting the child’s hair. Then Jack walked over to the three to talk to them and Henry looked back down the hallway, briefly catching Daniel looking at him.

Watching Henry walk down the hallway, Daniel tilted his head slightly, examining his behavior. He looked envious. Of the family, perhaps?

l.l

“You have an uncle?” Laura asked Daniel during lunch, the other teen nodding.

“Both of my adoptive parents have siblings, only one’s is dead.”

“But you uncle is staying with you for a while?” Joe asked. Daniel shrugged.

“I suppose so. Support, or something.”

“Hm. Well, I have good news!” Laura clapped her hands together. Daniel and Joe looked at her and she continued, “My aunt says Morrison is awake! Or at least, he has been, but he’s been having some physical therapy and stuff because the loss of oxygen to his brain. I mean, he’s doing a lot better now.”

Joe pressed his lips together, eyebrows knit together in concern. “Loss of oxygen?”

Laura nodded. “Whatever happened to him cut off his airway and deprived his brain from air for a while- like hanging victims. But my aunt says he’s doing okay.”

It took a moment of seeing the look on Joe’s face for Laura to remember that he and Morrison were friends, and that she had probably upset him. She gasped and put a hand to her mouth.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-”

“It’s okay, Laura.” Joe looked down, rubbing his neck. Daniel watched the noirette.

Joe didn’t know that Daniel was the one to put Morrison in the hospital. What would he do if he knew?

“Hey, Daniel,” a quiet, girly voice sounded from behind the teen, making him look back to see who it was. Joe also turned in his seat to see, while Laura just looked up, sitting across from them.

It was a girl from Daniel’s first hour, named Madison. She looked nervous.

“Yes?” Daniel asked after a moment of the girl standing there shyly. She blinked in surprise and winced at her own embarrassment before holding out an envelope in a shaky hand. Daniel dropped his gaze from her face to the envelope, taking it after a moment of not wanting to. Once he took it, Madison turned on her heel and scampered away, and Daniel sighed before turning back in his seat to look the envelope over.

“What is it?” Joe asked, spinning in his seat to lean on the table and look in curiosity. Laura gasped before squealing.

“It’s a love note, isn’t it?” she cried like a school girl, grinning wildly. Joe looked at Daniel.

“Is it?”

Daniel rolled his eyes and just handed the envelope to Laura when the girl reached out for it. She tore it open excitedly with a light cackle.

“This is the third girl to ask you out,” she said while slipping the letter from inside. Daniel shrugged simply.

It had been the third; the others being Samantha, who Daniel didn’t even know, and a girl named Carla from his seventh hour. The difference being, Samantha asked with a group of friends, and Carla asked after school. The similarity? Daniel said no.

“Can I read it?” Laura asked. Daniel gave a light “Sure”. “You probably don’t notice me much,” Laura read, “But I sit beside you in Spanish and really-”

Daniel stood from the table, making Laura pause in her reading of the letter to look at him.

“What are you doing?” she asked, folding the letter some to keep it from prying eyes. Daniel turned from the table, stalking off.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” he called back to her. She puffed and looked at Joe, who looked from Daniel to her.

“...I’m gonna go after him,” he said. Laura groaned and started putting the letter back into the envelope, poking herself with a corner of the paper on accident because: letters are always difficult to fit into envelopes.

“Fine,” she grumbled.

Walking out of the cafeteria, Daniel headed down the hallway of locker filled walls, closing his eyes in annoyance when he heard footsteps behind him.

“You’re following me,” he said, looking behind at Joe. The noirette rolled his eyes and grabbed Daniel’s arm, pulling the brunette to a stop with a quick “Then stop walking”.

“Okay, what is it?” Daniel asked flatly. Joe let him go to cross his arms.

“Why do you keep ignoring people asking you out?”

Daniel snorted. “Joe, I don’t want to date anyone. What does it matter?” he asked, giving an exasperated sigh when he noticed how straight Joe’s expression was. “ _What_?” he spoke once more. “Like I said, I _really_ don’t want to date anyone. What, are you jealous or something? Because I’m not into the “dating scene”.”

Joe opened his mouth to say something but an upperclassman suddenly came over, tapping the teen’s shoulder and making him look at them.

“Joe Hines? Mrs. Tate wants you,” the upperclassman said, making Joe sigh and turn away from Daniel to follow along to the classroom. Daniel watched for a moment before going to continue down the hallway, but just as he turned, he came face-to-face with Kaiden and three of his friends. Pausing, Daniel stared at Kaiden as the teen put an arm around the brunette’s shoulders.

“Let’s go, huh Daniel?”

l.l

Walking outside to the courtyard, Daniel was led by Kaiden and his goons to a small storage unit, where the teen could hear the light sound of a dog’s whimpering. Once the teenagers were hidden by the side of the building, Daniel dropped his gaze to see Chunky, pinned to the ground by another student holding the dog’s neck. He looked at Kaiden.

“What do you want?” he asked. Kaiden smiled and held up some papers.

“I saw you playing with this dog, so I want you to kill it. Or,” Kaiden fanned the papers, “I tell everyone about your case file.”

Daniel stared at Kaiden intently, the bully fully aware that he was under the brunette’s skin and loving it, smiling at Daniel teasingly. Daniel looked at Kaiden’s friends before looking back to Chunky, who was looking up at the teen and whimpering, lying flat on its belly in the snow.

“Hand him the knife, Braiden,” Kaiden said to a taller kid, who reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a pocket knife. Daniel exhaled deeply through his nose and took the knife from Braiden, opening it and looking down at the shiny blade. He could hear a tiny whisper from a boy, “Do you think this is a good idea,” to another. Daniel looked back at Kaiden.

“What will you do if I don’t care?” he asked. Kaiden gave a confused look.

“Huh?”

“If I don’t kill the dog, and I don’t care about the papers?”

“Just do it!” Kaiden shoved Daniel, making the teen stumble lightly before catching himself. He actually knew why Kaiden was doing this. Because he had lost a friend; Joe. So he’d make Daniel lose his, too. Although, a little more graphically. Daniel didn’t want to be noticed in school though, and that’s just what the papers would do. The look in Kaiden’s eyes said that he wanted to hurt Daniel regardless, today. And he had friends who could help him.

“Kill the dog or I’m gonna kill you,” Kaiden said angrily. Daniel dropped the knife and Kaiden rose a fist to punch him, but the brunette spoke up.

“I’m not a coward. I don’t need a knife,” he said. Two kids looked at each other and another went to pick up the knife as Daniel dropped down to his knees beside Chunky. The boy holding the dog let it go, moving away, and Daniel let it crawl into his lap.

He pet the dog’s brown fur, scratching it along the ears as it tried to crawl further into his lap. Kaiden scowled as Daniel continued petting the dog, lightly brushing the fur from its face.

“Kill it, _Scott_ ,” Kaiden spat, making Daniel look up at him. Some students started to murmur.

“ _His name is Scott?”_

“ _He’s Daniel, right?”_

“ _Did he get his name changed?”_

Kaiden continued scowling at Daniel, the other teen watching him while petting Chunky softly. Then Kaiden looked at his friends.

“His last name is Scott,” he said to them, Daniel dropping his gaze back to Chunky. “And he has that ugly scar because-”

 _Crack_!

Chunky’s head fell into Daniel’s lap, lifeless with its eyes open, gazing. Daniel slipped his hands from the dog’s broken neck. Looking back up from the dog’s corpse, he could see that the teens standing around were either apprehensive or disgusted. Kaiden looked mad, as though his point hadn’t come across. It hadn’t.

Lying Chunky’s body softly into the snow, Daniel stood up, exhaling deeply through his nose. He watched the teenagers for a moment to see if there was anything more to be said or done, but no one did anything, not even Kaiden. Daniel held out a hand to the teen.

“The papers,” he said. Kaiden glared at him for a moment before crumbling the papers into a ball and throwing it at Daniel, hitting the teen in the chest. Daniel narrowed his eyes at Kaiden in annoyance but knelt down to snatch the ball from the snow, shoving it into his jacket pocket. Turning away from the group and dog’s corpse, he headed back to the school, a two minute walk to the front doors.

Approaching the school building and pulling a heavy door open, the teen stepped into the school and slammed the door shut behind him, the glass of the window rattling in its big frame.

He left to the school gym, where he was stopped by Mr. Long standing at the entrance.

“Mason,” the teacher said, making Daniel look at him. “They’ve been calling you on the com for a while; you need to go to the office.” Daniel gave a confused look and Mr. Long motioned to the teen. “You okay? You look a little out of breath.” Daniel wiped a hand over his face, where he caught sweat beading at his forehead. Was he that upset?

“I’ll go,” he said and quickly turned away from the coach to leave to the office. Walking there, it felt like all the students in the hall were looking at him. He ran a hand through his hair to try and clear his mind while walking to the office. What was he upset over? Hurting the dog, or Kaiden saying _Scott_? He had killed plenty of animals in the past, what was different this time?

“Damn,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head. He was getting further into his thoughts.

Turning a corner, the teen went to the office and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Meathead sounded from inside. Daniel entered the office, putting his hands in his pockets after noticing that his palms were clammy. Stepping further inside the office, Daniel could see someone sitting in a chair, their back to him. He looked at Meathead, who motioned while looking at the seated person, as though they didn’t hear the door open.

“Daniel’s here,” he said. The person seated looked back and Daniel could see that it was Arty. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at seeing the man. Why was he there?

Standing from the chair, Arty walked to Daniel and took the teen into a tight hug that confused him further. He slipped a hand from his pocket to touch Arty’s back lightly when he heard a sniffle from the man. He didn’t want to ask what happened because he was too confused, and Arty spoke up anyway, letting Daniel go to wipe his teary eyes.

“John called,” the man said, looking at Daniel through glassy blue eyes. “Shelly didn’t wake up.”

“...What do you mean?”

Arty sniffed again and cleared his throat, putting a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “I’m bringing you and Geil home for the rest of the day, is that okay?” he asked. Daniel looked passed him at Meathead, who nodded like it had already been discussed. The teen looked back to Arty.

“...Okay,” he said. “Just, let me get my things.” Arty nodded and smoothed his hair from his face, sighing.

“I’m gonna be out in the car.”

Daniel nodded and left the office to his locker, where he started getting his things. His phone vibrated in his pants pocket and he pulled it out to flip it open.

2 NEW MESSAGES.

JOE: office wants you.

JOE: where are you?

Daniel slapped his phone shut and put it away to finish getting everything. Once he shoved everything into his bag, he left the school to Arty’s car, where the man sat inside with his head on his hand. Daniel got inside.

“Are you alright?” he asked Arty, the man’s eyes closed.

“No. I get migraines when I… cry.”

Daniel watched Arty for a moment before leaning over the man to twist the key in the ignition, turning the car on. Then he turned on the car’s heater, because it was exceptionally cold outside. But then, he noticed something lacking.

Turning in his seat, he looked at the back seat and saw that it was empty, void of Geil or any of his things. He looked back to Arty.

“Art, where’s Geil?”

Arty sighed and opened his eyes, glancing at Daniel. “I didn’t pick him up yet.” He shifted in his seat to be in a better position to drive and moved the car into the road.

“Why didn’t you ask Henry to come in your stead?” Daniel asked. Arty shook his head lightly while driving.

“I needed to get out of the house.”

“...Did he do something?”

Arty looked at Daniel. “Why are you asking these things?”

“I’m just concerned for you, is all.”

“No, it’s okay. I just… want some company right now,” Arty said and wiped his eyes when his vision got blurry from more tears. Daniel reached out to touch the man’s arm, offering him a smile despite being upset himself. It seemed to make Arty lift up a bit, because he gave Daniel a small smile in return. Then, he looked back to the road to drive. He cleared his throat.

“Henry’s only staying long enough to get a job, he shouldn’t stay with us long,” he said. Daniel nodded in acknowledgment.

“Okay. Shall I go in to get Geil?”

Arty sighed. “...If you want to. Or, I’d be grateful if you did.”

The rest of the ride was quiet until they got Geil. Arty had to call the school and tell them his adoptive brother was picking him up after checking the child out, and then Geil sang a new song he learned at school the whole ride home. Or, to their next stop, at least, because Arty made a detour instead of taking them to the house. He drove them to a McDonald’s, where he and Daniel sat seated by a window and watching Geil play on the big toy; Arty was making excuses to delay their ride home, like “We should get some groceries” or “Let’s stop for a quick meal”. Daniel didn’t question Arty anything, but he was sure that Arty just didn’t want to spend any time with Henry.

“Does Jack know?” Daniel asked, looking up from his untouched food to Arty, who also hadn’t touched his meal. The man shook his head.

“I’m gonna… wait until he’s home. I don’t want to distract him when he’s at work.”

“...How is their baby?”

“Probably okay, Johnathon would make sure.”

Daniel reached across the table to put his hand over Arty’s, and then he lay his head down on the table. Arty shifted his hand until he was holding Daniel’s, and then Daniel could feel the man petting his head of dark curls softly.

“It’s okay, Daniel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who's been reading this far! If I have to guestimate, I think there will be about seventeen chapters, or, at least less than twenty.


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Memory Lane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things with Kaiden and Shelly start bringing up Daniel's past, and he isn't happy about it.

Seeing so many people dressed in black made Daniel’s gut uneasy. It made Geil uncomfortable; especially the people crying.

Johnathon stood beside Shelly’s mother, who held the couple’s one month old daughter, Elizabeth. He looked like he were mad for being sad, clutching a single rose in his hand tightly at the stem. Standing next to Arty and Jack, Daniel didn’t know where to concentrate: Jack was looking around for someone, Henry just arrived and stood next to Johnathon, putting a hand on the man’s shoulder, Arty was holding Geil’s hand and looking at the white casket, and the priest was saying some things for Shelly. Then he said, “Let us pray,” and bowed his head. Daniel decided to bow his own and concentrate on the quiet.

“Our Father in heaven,” the priest spoke, “we thank you that, through Jesus Christ, you have given us the gift of eternal life. Keep us firm in the faith, that nothing can separate us from your love. When we lose someone who is dear to us, help us to receive your comfort and to share it with one another. We thank you for what you have given us through _Elspeth_...”

Daniel opened his eyes. Elspeth?

_Standing in the small crowd of family and friends, the casket in front of them all was brown instead of white. The priest was overly aged, like he should have retired years ago. Daniel looked to his left and saw his father, Leslie Douglas Scott, standing beside him and staring stone-faced at the casket._

_The priest was speaking the eulogy and it was wet outside from the fresh rain that had fallen not too long ago; Daniel’s twelve year old friend, Adam, still held his umbrella open above him. He looked at Daniel with his green eyes and, although not smiling, whispered, “It’s alright.” Daniel blinked a few times, his dark eyes glazing over._

“ _Adie?” he whispered, his best friend watching him. Before he could say anything more, Leslie clasped a firm hand over Daniel’s shoulder, looking down at him through stern eyes._

“ _Be_ quiet _! Have respect for your mother,” he whispered sharply, with enough snap to make an attendee glance over. The priest spoke up._

“ _We must now part with this beautiful mother, wife, sister, daughter, and friend, Elspeth, and say Amen.”_

“ _Amen,” everyone said. Daniel whispered the word, looking back at his mother’s casket. He drew in a shaky breath._

“Daniel,” Arty said, tapping the teen’s shoulder. Daniel looked at him, blinking a few times as he came to. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked around.

They were still attending Shelly’s funeral.

He looked back at Arty, confused at his own self. Arty offered the teen a smile and pointed off to the casket. “We’re putting our flowers in,” he said. Daniel gave a light nod, glancing down at his hands, where he held a few roses. Arty reached out to take them, patting Daniel’s hand. “I’ll take them, you look worn out.”

Daniel nodded again, watching Arty as the man walked to the open grave and casket with the flowers.

He looked around at the dispersing crowd to see what all had happened while he were in his daze, and his attention was drawn to Johnathon, Jack, and Henry.

Johnathon was hugging Henry, his uncle patting his back. “Thanks for coming, Uncle Henry,” Johnathon said quietly, holding in his emotions until he were in his family’s hands. Henry shook his head.

“It’s okay, you’ll get through it.”

Jack seemed to be waiting to talk to Johnathon, because once he and Henry parted, the man walked over to his son.

“Johnathon,” he said, his son looking at him through red, irritated eyes. “Where’s Lawrence? He should have been here.”

Johnathon scoffed. “Lawrence? When was the last time _anyone_ saw him? He’s been gone just as long as you have,” he spat bitterly and tried to turn away, but Jack grabbed him by the arm.

“Don’t walk away-”

“Don’t touch me!” Johnathon pulled his arm away before shoving Jack back. “Mom isn’t here, and Lawrence isn’t here, because _you’re_ here! The only time you ever decide to show up, and it’s Shelly’s _funeral_? Leave!”

“Johnathon-”

“You were supposed to help us! You were never there! You were supposed to help me with Shelly!”

“ _It should have been you,” Leslie said, his breath reeking of alcohol. Daniel took in sharp, gasping breaths of terror as he touched a hand to his mouth, his fingers coming away with blood from his lip being cut against his teeth. He looked back at his father, dark eyes wide as he tried to process what had happened._

_He had been punched. He had really been hit- struck in the face._

“ _Dad-”_

“ _Shut up!” His father grabbed him around the throat with both hands, holding him tightly to cut his airway. Daniel choked and started scratching his father’s hands to get him off, terrified and crying._

“ _Dad-” Daniel shut his eyes tight, the loss of oxygen and the strength around his throat painful and traumatizing. But then, as if it hadn’t happened, he was let go._

_Falling to the floor and choking on air, the young teen placed a hand over his throat to feel the damage of the wound while he cried. He could hear his dad leave the room, his boots thudding against the wooden floor. He took a deep, ragged breath and lay there, trying to work up the energy to get up._

_He evened his breathing, breathing slow and trying to calm himself down. Once he got that under control, he pushed himself up to his hands and knees and crawled to the side table of the sofa, where the home telephone was. Then he picked it up from the receiver and dialed 999._

“ _This is the police department, can I ask your state of emergency?” a woman’s voice sounded from the other side of the phone. Daniel exhaled deeply to calm his nerves._

“ _Hello, my father is drunk- he’s hurting me,” he spoke in reply, his voice scratchy and hoarse. The woman gave a light “Alright. Are you home?”_

“ _Yes.”_

“ _Is he still in the home with you?”_

“ _Yes, he’s left to the kitchen. Please come, m’am, I’m scared.”_

“ _Okay, it’s alright. Can you tell me your place of address? And where has he hurt you?”_

“ _It’s down Rose Street, 421. He’s hit me in the face and choked me- are you coming yet?”_

“ _Yes, I’ve given some police your home and they’re on their way. Can you tell me your name, laddie? And your age?”_

“ _I’m Daniel, and I’m twelve. Can you-” Daniel could hear his father coming back, so he quickly slid the phone underneath the sofa to hide it. Turning his head, he saw Leslie approaching him._

“ _Can’t you just lay still?” Leslie grabbed Daniel by his hair, pulling the curly locks roughly and forcing the boy to fall onto his back with a loud cry._

“ _Daddy, stop!” Daniel cried as his father dragged him away from the sofa by his hair, his tailbone scraping along the floor’s wooden planks. “You’re hurting me!”_

“ _Your mother was hurting!” Leslie yelled loudly at Daniel, throwing the boy roughly against the floor, his head hitting the wood and making him cry. “Only girls get to cry- you think this hurts? You think you’re in pain? I’ll show you what pain is!” He stood in a slumped stature from his drinking and stamped a foot heavily over Daniel’s torso, knocking his air from him and making him dizzy. His boots were heavy with steel in the toe for his work, and it hurt Daniel to the point that he were close to pass out. Then Leslie paused for a break, panting and wiping his face with a dirty shirt sleeve. Daniel, winded, couldn’t even roll to his side to get away, his vision doubled and waning. Leslie dropped down to his knees beside him._

“ _Help,” Daniel breathed inaudibly, his head spinning. Leslie brought a knife Daniel hadn’t noticed before up over him, and then he slammed it down into his son’s body, his drunken mind messing with his aim to the point that the knife missed Daniel’s stomach or chest and rather, struck his hip. The blade slid in through his skin, slipping in like a knife to butter, making Daniel cry and writhe on the floor. Then his dad pulled the blade out and slammed it back in, the knife catching on Daniel’s hip bone and stopping it a quarter of an inch inside. It could have stopped there, but Leslie used enough force to drive the blade through his bone with a sick sound, the kitchen knife breaking into the bone and exiting underneath, slicing into the meat and tendons that lie beneath._

_Though he couldn’t get up the air to scream or call for help, Daniel could still sob loudly in pain. He could hear the operator’s voice on the phone, quiet and muffled, but she were speaking. He could feel himself crying, his tears escaping his confused eyes and slipping down his face. He twisted his body to get away, but it just caused the trapped blade to send painful tremors through his bones._

_Leslie tried to pull the knife out but couldn’t- it had gotten trapped in the bone. He gave a loud exclamation of anger and stood back up, stumbling on his drunk feet, before he continued stomping over Daniel’s body, his boot hitting the handle of the knife and making immense pain strike up his son’s body, the boy choking on a sob of terror._

_Then the house’s door burst open._

“ _Get off the boy!”_

“ _Back away! Put your hands up!”_

“ _Get off him!” officers yelled, but Leslie didn’t mind them, finishing his beating. Until a gunshot took him down, followed by two more of the same gun. Daniel was in the midst of unconscious when an officer came to his aid, the other two checking on Leslie to see if he were alive._

“ _Hey, boy, you’re okay,” the officer said to him, picking him up. “It’s alright.”_

“Guys, stop it! Please,” a woman stood between Jack and Johnathon, probably one of the latter’s friends. Daniel turned away from the scene, leaving the group of watching bystanders and stepping off to a neighboring building that stood at the end of the grave’s lot, for some type of storage, probably. He pulled his cell phone from his suit pocket and called Joe.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, with Joe panting heavily into the phone like he were out of breath.

“He-”

“When are you going to kill him?” Daniel asked bitterly into the phone, trying to keep his anger to a minimum. Joe swallowed roughly before panting again, having been on a run.

“What?”

“ _Kaiden_! Get rid of him!”

“W-what did he do now?”

“God _dammit_ , Joe!” Daniel slapped his phone shut and put it away, leaving Joe looking at his own phone and speaking into it. “Hello? Daniel? ...He hung up on me?”

Seeing Daniel head off, Arty followed after him, everyone at the funeral dispersing and Jack taking Geil to the car after he and his oldest son… tried to get over their differences.

Arty was going to call out to Daniel and tell him they were leaving, but he was struck by sudden surprise when he saw the teen punch the white painted brick wall of the spare building. He furrowed his eyebrows, heading over. He had most definitely heard a crack from one of Daniel’s knuckles.

Approaching the teen, Arty put a hand on his shoulder, lightly, making Daniel look at him. The teen looked angry, but he quickly turned away to hide his emotion. Arty sighed and pulled him into a hug.

“It’s okay,” he said while hugging the teen, hearing his breath coming out harsh in frustration. He put a hand to the back of Daniel’s head and held him tighter, sighing into his hair. He could feel Daniel, after a moment, put his arms around him and hug him tightly in return, closing his dark eyes and burying his face into the man’s shoulder.

After the funeral, when everyone went home, Henry took Jack out to a bar, which upset Arty a good amount, because apparently, once you got Jack drinking, he didn’t stop; until he passed out, of course.

That left Arty home with Daniel and Geil, and they had resorted to watching A Nightmare on Christmas because Geil wanted them to.

Sitting on the couch with the kids, Arty’s phone started going off in his pocket and he glanced at Daniel to see if he was awake. He wasn’t, but he had fallen asleep against Arty’s shoulder, virtually keeping him there, or he was at risk of waking the worn teen. Arty sighed and pulled his phone out to answer it.

“Hello?” he asked quietly, Geil looking at him before looking back to the television. There was no reply on the phone. “...Hello?”

“Hey,” said a familiar voice, softly. Arty furrowed his eyebrows and pulled his phone from his ear to look at the caller ID. It was Johnathon.

Putting the phone back to his ear, Arty spoke again. “Hey, Johnathon, what’s up? You okay?”

Johnathon was silent for a long time before clearing his throat and speaking. “...I need to tell you something.”

“...Alright. But, are you okay?”

“I really don’t want to talk about me.”

“Okay, I… won’t. What’s wrong?”

Johnathon took a deep breath on the other side of the phone. “It’s about Shelly, I-” he paused, mustering up his words. Arty waited, not really sure of where the conversation was headed. Soon enough, Johnathon continued. “I killed her.”

“What?” His voice came out a little louder than he meant, and Daniel stirred on his shoulder. Arty cleared his throat, lowering his voice again. “What?” he whispered.

“I didn’t want to, Arty. She… she made me,” Johnathon said softly. Wherever he was was quiet, because there was no echo of his voice, and there were no surrounding sounds. “She didn’t want the treatments or anything, she just… left some things for Elizabeth and said she was ready...”

“Okay. It’s okay, Johnathon.”

“It was the morphine- she told me to kill her; she made me give her too much.”

“I know, it’s okay. Hey, where are you, by the way? Johnathon?”

Johnathon sighed into the phone. “I’m just… at home. I’m not gonna kill myself, if you’re worried. Shelly made me promise. You know we keep our promises.”

“Yeah, I know.” Hearing that was a lift off of Arty’s shoulders- he thought this was a goodbye call.

“I just… needed to tell someone. I couldn’t keep it to myself. Will you… keep it a secret?”

“Yeah, I promise. Just, um… come by sometimes, okay? So we can help you out, and stuff.”

“Yeah.” There was a silence before Johnathon said a, “Bye” and hung up. Arty sighed heavily, dropping his phone into his lap. He shook his head lightly and ran a hand through his hair.

“...God,” he mumbled to himself, laying his head back against the couch and closing his eyes. Geil looked at him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. Arty shook his head again, peeking at him.

“It’s nothing.” He reached out to pat the child’s head. “Your brother Johnathon is gonna come by with the baby sometimes.”

Geil grinned. “Yay!”

“Shh, don’t wake up Daniel.”

“Hey, what’s that song?” Geil asked lightly, leaning against Arty’s other side. Arty quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Did “brother Johnathon” make you think of “Brother John”?”

Geil laughed. “Yeah..”

Arty put an arm around Geil’s shoulders. “Are you sleeping, are you sleeping? Brother John, brother John? Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing. Ding ding dong, ding ding dong...”

“Now sing the other one!”

Arty rolled his eyes but smiled to the child before singing, “Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques. Dormez-vous, dormez-vous. Sonnez le matines, sonnez le matines. Ding dang dong, ding dang dong...”

Daniel nuzzled further against Arty, sighing heavily in his sleep. Arty pressed his lips together, thinking. He looked at Geil.

“You want pizza for dinner?” he asked. Geil’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah!”

“Okay, there’s some money in the little table by my bed, will you get it?”

Geil hopped up from the couch and hurried off to the stairs, while Arty called a pizza place to order.

“Just, one with pepperoni, and the other with cheese. That’s all. Can you be here within the hour? Alright, thanks.” Arty made a mental note of $12.95 and hung up, leaning back and closing his eyes for some final resting time. Then he remembered about Jack and Henry and sent them each a quick text of _“Don’t come home drunk, I ordered pizza”_. Before he could close his eyes again, Daniel opened his own, sitting up from the slouched position that made his ribs hurt.

“Hey Daniel, I just ordered some pizza,” Arty said softly to the teen, who looked like he wasn’t ready to wake up yet. In all honesty, he actually looked like someone with real emotion, right now, instead of always being perfect. He looked at Arty through narrowed eyes of sleep.

“...Hm?”

Arty laughed some. “Uh, I ordered pizza.”

“Was I asleep?” Daniel’s voice was so laced with sleep that his accent sounded exceptionally thicker. Arty nodded, looking away from the teen.

“Yeah, you fell asleep on Tim Burton.”

“I don’t know him,” the younger brunette said with so much flat honesty it was funny. Arty shrugged with a smile, looking at the TV.

“It’s okay, I’m changing the channel anyway.” He, since Daniel wasn’t on him anymore, leaned forward on the couch to get the remote from the table and changed the channel. He put it on a channel that was showing some romance comedy, because the best thing to watch when you’re down is some stupid humor. Daniel looked around before looking at Arty.

“Is Jack still gone?”

“Yeah, I might have to go pick him up later.”

“...How long was I asleep?”

“A few hours. Still tired?” Arty glanced at him. Daniel shook his head, looking away.

Arty turned on the couch to face him. “You okay? Is there something you want to talk about?”

Daniel breathed through his nose and looked at Arty again. “...You know everything about me, right? My mother and father, what foster homes I stayed in.”

Arty gave a light nod. “I do. ...I know your mom had cancer, so I’m really sorry for what you’re going through right now.” When Daniel didn’t say anything in reply to that, Arty touched his arm softly. “...I’m sorry.”

Daniel looked down at Arty’s hand before looking at his face. “...Am I a bad person?”

“What? No, no- why would you think that?”

“...Because I really like you.”

“Well… I like you, too.” Arty smiled at Daniel looking as tired as Daniel felt. Daniel suddenly leaned forward to Arty, almost close enough to kiss, but he didn’t. Instead, he paused there, like he were waiting to see if Arty would kiss him. He didn’t, taken by full surprise and chest racing.

...What kind of situation is this?

“...Daniel,” Arty backed away, nervous and confused. Daniel stayed where he was, watching Arty through his dark eyes that looked… anticipating. “I, um...” The front door suddenly opened and Arty looked over from where he sat on the couch. It was Jack and Henry, looking like real brothers as they came in together. Arty stood up from the couch, glancing back at Daniel, who was looking at the TV like nothing had happened.

Henry looked around the room. “Where’s the pizza?”

“I-it’s not here yet,” Arty said and left to the stairs, going up them and disappearing to find Geil. Henry watched him before looking at Jack, who took off his coat to hang up.

“Arty been taking his pills?” he asked. Jack looked at him, having a buzz. He gave an honest shrug.

“Probably not. No, I don’t think so.”

“Mm.”

There was a knock on the door and Henry answered it for Jack, who was rubbing his eyes. It was the pizza man, a highschooler who probably knew Daniel, because he waved when he saw him, but Daniel was still watching the television to notice.

“Hey kid, how much?” Henry asked, pulling his wallet from his pocket. The kid blinked and looked at Henry before clearing his throat to be more professional.

“$12.95.”

Pulling out a twenty, Henry paid the kid and let him keep the change, taking the pizzas and shutting the door after the driver left happily to his car. Then Henry turned from the door.

“Pizza’s here!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you guys got a false notification, I accidentally uploaded chapter 15- totally my bad y'all.  
> Updates will be every Friday.


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Only Girls Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel plays a rigged game of hide-and-seek with Geil, and Henry finds Arty's missing necklace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Sexual content, child traumatization.

Once everything winded down, Johnathon did come over, bringing the baby; while Jack was gone at work. Things seemed to be getting normal again, besides the fact that Daniel hadn’t been painting much. It was sort of like he had a cloud hanging over him. He started acting like he had when he first arrived: different.

He was back to being… calculating.  
On a weekend, he went to Geil’s room while Jack, Arty, and Henry talked outside about the possibility of building a tree house; Jack had one when he was a kid, Arty thought the snow would get Geil sick.

Daniel sat on Geil’s bed, the latter sitting at his drawing table and looking at Daniel when the teen came into the room.

“Hi, Daniel,” Geil said. Daniel didn’t say anything or wave, just motioned the boy over. The blonde child put his crayons down onto his desk and stood up from his seat, walking over to Daniel. With Daniel sitting down, they were equal heights. He looked at the child.  
“Do you want to play hide and seek?”

Sneaking Geil to the basement was easy because the adults were still outside having their debate. And apparently through all of their parenting, Geil had never been into the basement. Wise, because it looked like Freddy Kruger's boiler room.

Daniel pulled Geil along by his wrist to the howling furnace, the boy beyond petrified and grasping Daniel’s clothes in fear.  
“I don’t wanna be here,” he cried lightly, looking up at Daniel in the darkness. The teenager ignored him, taking him to the burning metal. There were storage boxes a few feet in front of the furnace, so Daniel sat Geil against them, the boy’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want to play anymore...”

“We’re hiding from Daddy, yes?” Daniel knelt in front of Geil. He grabbed the boy by his hair when he sobbed, making him cry harder. “Only girls cry, remember?” His voice came out harshly, which scared Geil into a hiccup. Then Daniel let go of the child’s hair. “Have you heard the boy who cried wolf?” he asked quietly. Geil just watched him, sniffling.

“It’s where the parents don’t believe the boy; do you want them to laugh in your face?” Daniel asked. Geil shook his head, having a slight hyperventilation as he tried to stop crying. “Because they will do just that. Now, I’m leaving you down here-”

“No, no!” Geil screamed in terror, bursting out into tears again and sitting forward to hug Daniel tight. “Don’t leave me!”

Daniel forced the boy off, thrusting him back against the boxes. He stood up, watching the hysterical child. “I’m leaving you down here, yeah? But, I’ll come back for you if you do something,” he said. Geil sobbed with his face buried in his knees. “You can wait here for Daddy to find you, but you’ll lose the game. Or, you can cut off your hair, and I’ll come to get you, and then you’ll win. Does that sound fair?”

Geil looked up at Daniel in confused fear because: if you cut your hair, you have to have something sharp. Daniel pulled some big sewing sheers from his pack pocket and set them on the floor in front of Geil.

“Just cut your hair, and I’ll come back. Yes?”  
Geil shook his head while crying, dropping his face back to his knees. Daniel clicked his tongue.

“The rules are: cut your hair and don’t tell anybody why. You can’t tell them Daniel did this, because they won’t believe you, right? You’ll just be the liar.”

“Daniel, I want Daddy...” Geil wailed through a muffled voice, his body racking with sobs. Daniel glanced back at the furnace that stood in front of Geil, with a roaring mouth of fire that howled. He gave Geil a light wave, despite the boy not looking.

“We’ll see what you choose.” With that, he turned away from Geil and left back out of the big basement, making sure to leave the light off so that Geil couldn’t try to find his way out. Then he left back to his room, where he sat on his bed.

As if on que, he could hear Arty calling Geil.  
“Geil! Geil, come here!” he called from downstairs. Daniel lay back on his bed, putting an arm behind his head and looking at the ceiling. His thoughts were: Arty will ask for me instead of Geil after assuming he’s busy playing. Well, he was right.

A knock on the door led Daniel to call out a “Come in” and Art-… Jack came inside.  
“Hey, come with me for something,” Jack said. Daniel hid his disappointment and obeyed, getting up from his bed and leaving his room to follow Jack downstairs. They passed by Arty, who was looking in the kitchen for Geil.

Once outside, Jack led Daniel to Henry, who stood over a work table with different blueprints splayed across. The teen looked at his adoptive father.

“What is it?” he asked. Jack motioned to the prints that Henry looked at.

“Well, we’re trying to figure out what to build. We can do either a greenhouse or a tree house, but...” Jack glanced back at the house, where Arty was inside. Henry looked at Daniel.

“Edinburgh’s really moist, right?” he asked. Daniel nodded.

“For the most part. Why?”

“Because I doubt many people get sick out there from the weather- you think Geil would get sick in a tree house out here?”

“Probably. He gets sick from playing in the parks.”

Jack was going to say something, probably to help the argument of “tree houses are better”, but Arty came outside in a bit of a panic that drew everyone’s attention.

“I can’t find Geil,” he said. Jack and Henry looked at each other before following Arty back inside of the house. Daniel rolled his eyes and went after them all.

“I’ll look down here,” he said, because he had to stay near the basement for when Geil was found. Jack went upstairs to look in Geil’s room and Arty followed him to stress the fact of “I already looked up there!”. Henry stayed downstairs with Daniel.

“Jack, I looked everywhere in here,” Arty said, running a hand through his hair and standing by as Jack looked in Geil’s closet. The older man glanced back at Arty while sifting through the racks of clothes.

“He’s a boy, they hide anywhere dark.”

Arty gave him a look. “Not Geil.”

Jack sighed. “...Well, okay. He’s probably just playing a game,” he shut the closet after seeing that it was void of the boy, “He’ll come out when he gets tired.”

“Kids die from hiding! Haven’t you ever heard of those kids that fall asleep hiding in like, I don’t know, things!”

“Come on, let’s look somewhere else.” Jack walked by Arty to leave the room, where he motioned for the brunette to follow him.  
“Hey Daniel,” Henry called while looking in the kitchen’s pantry. Daniel walked over to peer into the kitchen’s archway.

“What?”

“Where’s your basement again? He could be down there.”

Daniel shook his head. “It’s too dark down there, he’d have nightmares.”

“Well, it’s still worth a shot anyway, right?” Henry looked at Daniel, who stood with his arms crossed. The teen gave a simple shrug.

“Perhaps.”

With that, he let Henry follow him to the basement door, where the two came across Arty and Jack as they walked downstairs to the first floor.

“Where are you going?” Arty asked. Daniel looked at Henry, to let the blonde speak.  
“The basement, it’s-”

“He’s never been down there before, why would he be down there?” Arty asked, his words coming out a little defensively. Jack put a hand on Arty’s shoulder, looking at him.  
“Henry and I used to hide in our basement all the time when we were younger, it’s just a kid thing,” he said.

“I never did that.”

“Arty, let’s just look,” Jack sighed. Henry pointed towards the basement door.

“...I’m gonna go down there,” he said. Jack nodded and looked at Arty.

“We’ll be behind you.”

Henry left to the basement and started down the stairs, Daniel behind him. “Where’s the light?” Henry asked. Daniel shrugged.

“I’m not too sure myself.”

“Do you not come down here?”

“No, I just know where it is.”

“Great. Well,” Henry took out his phone from his pocket to turn on his flashlight, which he used to guide himself and Daniel through the basement.

There was quite a bit of ground to cover, but since it wasn’t too cluttered or anything, they didn’t really have to look too far. Behind them, Arty and Jack made their way down the steps.

“Geil!” Arty called. Walking further in the basement, Daniel could see the furnace, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he ventured away.

“Geil, come on out!” Jack called. Henry was going to ask him something, but then there was a loud cry from Geil.

“Daddy!” he wailed from wherever he was. Daniel glanced at the furnace again, where he could see Geil lightly illuminated from the flames’ lighting. He didn’t say anything, though, and just went to look behind a box.  
Since Henry was closer to Daniel, therefore putting him closer to the furnace, he was the first to find Geil.

“Hey, I found him!” he called out before running to Geil and sweeping the boy up. The child was bawling, hugging Henry tight around the neck and wailing loudly into his ear. Jack and Arty came over and Henry turned to them. “He must have gotten lost down here,” he said. Daniel watched them all from where he stood a distance away.

“Oh, Geil, what were you doing down here?” Arty asked, petting Geil’s head because the boy wouldn’t let go of Henry. Geil didn’t say anything because he was crying too hard, and Jack knelt down when he saw a glint on the floor from the furnace’s light.

Reaching out, he picked up a pair of scissors, blonde hair stuck in the nut that held the blades together, and a bunch more hair on the floor around them. Jack stood up again and grabbed Geil’s head, tilting it back some so that he could look at the boy’s hair.  
It was all chopped.

“Geil, look at me,” Jack said. The boy turned his head to look at his father, eyes red and swollen from crying so much. Looking Geil over, Jack could see that the child had cut his own hair, the strands choppy and uneven, some of his hair not even cut, while other sections had been assaulted. Loose hair strands clung to Geil’s face from his tears and snot. Arty gasped, looking at the child.  
“What did you do?” he asked, trying to wipe hair from the boy’s face. Henry furrowed his eyebrows.

“Did he cut his hair?” he asked. Jack held up the scissors, equally as confused. He took Geil’s chin, looking into the boy’s pale blue eyes.

“Why’d you cut your hair? What’s wrong?”

“The m-monster made me,” Geil sputtered, taking a hand from Henry’s neck to wipe his irritated eyes. Arty sighed, shaking his head.

“...Let’s clean him up.” He kissed Geil’s cheek before leaving the basement to get some rags. Since Geil was latched onto Henry, the man took him out of the basement and to his room, Jack following after him. Daniel sat on a box, putting his chin on a hand.

“...Damn.”

l.l

After cleaning Geil up, Arty left him with Henry to go to the kitchen and make dinner. Geil had fallen asleep after a while of keeping Henry with him, so when the child finally shut his eyes, Henry slipped out of his bed and started tucking him in. Buried in a crease of Geil’s blanket was a necklace- a chain and locket. Henry tilted his head, looking it over.

  
_“Oh, this?” Arty picked his locket up from his chest, to show Henry. “It’s… something really special to me,” he said and smiled softly. Henry reached out to take the locket from Arty, leaning closer to look at it. He clicked his tongue._

_“Well, my brother always has had good taste,” he said. Arty laughed, shaking his head._

_“No, no, it’s not from Jack. It’s from my younger brother.”_

_“Oh. Andrew?”_

_“Yeah, you’ve met him, right?”_

_Henry nodded, letting go of the necklace. He looked at Arty’s face, the younger man’s blue eyes sparkling from the pool below the balcony. It was a mutual friend’s Halloween party, where Jack was talking to some colleagues. Arty’s smile fell some._

_“...He’s in the hospital right now,” he said. “They say it’s bacterial meningitis. They want to amputate so it doesn’t spread.” He swallowed, looking at the pool. Then he brought his glass of wine to his lips and finished the glass, wiping his mouth. He glanced at Henry and saw the man already looking at him. He gave a light scoff. “Don’t feel sorry for me or anything.”_

_“I don’t,” Henry said. Arty looked down at his empty glass._

_“...I don’t think you’re right. In the head.”_

_Henry laughed. “Who is?”_

_Silence befell the two for a moment before Arty looked back at Henry, holding his gaze. Then he kissed him. He was fairly tipsy, but he was still sober enough to pull away and apologize._

_“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-”_

_Henry slipped a hand behind Arty’s neck and pulled him into another kiss, one that lasted longer, with passion until they were breathless. Arty shook his head, panting lightly._

_“I just-” he covered his face. “God, I’m sorry. I’m a light drinker,” he dropped his hands to look Henry again, red in embarrassment. Henry took a step closer to the younger brunette, watching him intently. Arty swallowed dryly and turned away, but Henry caught him and pulled him into another kiss, that Arty fell into a little too eagerly. Henry ground his hips against Arty’s and the brunette broke the kiss to look at Henry._

_“Jack’s downstairs,” he whispered. Henry glanced back at the balcony doors, where he could see just a few people in the next room._

_“Then be quiet,” the blonde said and pulled Arty away from the balcony to the corner, where they were hidden from the glass doors. Thrusting Arty against the wall, Henry started unbuckling his pants. Arty pulled his own pants down and turned to face the wall, leaning against it and waiting for Henry. Henry didn’t waste any time, slicking his cock with some saliva before pushing himself inside of Arty. The brunette breathed heavily against the wall, adjusting to the pain. After a moment, Henry started fucking him._

_Arty’s locket swayed with each thrust, the silver metal clacking against the wall. To protect it, Arty swung it around so that it were on his back. Henry grabbed the necklace, pulling it taught against Arty’s throat and snuffing his air as he thrust into him, making Arty moan and scratch his nails along the wall._

If he really thought about it, Arty hasn’t been wearing that necklace lately. Had he lost it?

Henry stood up from Geil’s bed with the necklace, where he took it out of the room.

“Daniel, hand me that knife,” Arty said to Daniel. The teen took the green handled blade and brought it to Arty, the man taking it to cut some mozzarella. While Arty did that, Daniel took to layering the lasagna. Pasta, meat sauce, cheese; repeat. When that was done, Arty started dropping the mozzarella cubes over the lasagna, where Henry came in during.

“Hey Arty,” he got the man’s attention, the brunette looking at him with annoyance in his eyes. He quickly changed his expression into a neutrality, so that Daniel wouldn’t notice.

“What?”

Henry huffed and pointed off. “I found your necklace. I put it in your room.”

Arty paused and watched him. “What?”

“Your necklace? You’ve been missing it, right?”

Daniel tapped Arty’s arm, making the man look at him. “I’m going to use the bathroom,” the teen said. Arty nodded and looked back at Henry.

“It’s been missing for months, where did-”

Daniel quickly walked out of the kitchen.  
If anyone were to open up the locket, they would surely see the pills. He couldn’t have that. But where had he lost it? Where had he let up?

“Ugh, dammit.” Daniel headed up the stairs, hurrying down the hallway and turning into the master bedroom.

Henry said he put it in here, the question was where.

The teen started looking on the dresser tops that were smooth and glossy, but nonetheless, empty. He went to look on the bed, patting the blankets down to feel for it if it weren’t visible. Then the doorknob started turning.

Daniel quickly turned to the closet, opening the door and stepping inside just as Arty came into the room. He watched the older brunette intently through a crack of the closet door, to see if he would find the necklace.

Arty walked through the room to a small rack on a table- full of hanging necklaces. And the locket was among them. Daniel watched as Arty touched the locket, smiling and running his finger over the engravings. He was going to open it but stopped when Jack stepped into the room.

“Hey,” the older man said, walking over to Arty. “What are you doing in here?”

Arty let go of the locket, letting it fall against the other chains. “Henry found my necklace, so I was looking at it.”

“Henry? Haha where?”

“He said in Geil’s room. I should probably thank him since you never helped me look for it,” Arty said and crossed his arms, looking at Jack. Jack gave a roll of his eyes.

“I did look, give me some credit. Anyway,” the graying blonde reached out to touch Arty’s chin, making the brunette look at him. “Are you okay?”

Arty sighed, turning away from Jack. “No. I don’t want to take Geil to the doctor’s again. What if he has a psychotic meltdown?” he looked at Jack, worried. Jack just shook his head.

“He won’t, don’t worry so much. He’s just a delicate kid, you shelter him too much.”

Arty huffed and looked away again, probably because he knew he couldn’t argue with that. Then Jack put an arm around Arty’s shoulders and kissed the brunette’s cheek. Daniel glared, watching as Arty gave in to the kisses and started kissing Jack’s lips in return. He averted his gaze to look at the locket.

If he could only get it.

Arty fell onto the bed with Jack over him and Daniel looked back over through his dark, glaring eyes. Jack.

Daniel could remember the time Arty didn’t kiss him- why? He was doing everything perfect, he knew that Arty was starting to like him, why not him? Why did he always run back to Jack?

“I have dinner in the oven,” Arty murmured to Jack through a kiss. Jack kissed his husband’s jaw.

“Then let’s be quick.” Jack kissed Arty along his neck, trailing down to kiss his chest through his shirt until he was at his groin, where he started undoing Arty’s pants.  
Arty bit his lip in anticipation, watching Jack. He took in a breath and closed his eyes when he felt his husband’s mouth hot around his cock.

Daniel pulled out his phone and started dialing Arty’s phone number, something he had committed to memory. Pressing call and looking back at Arty, the brunette had his head back and a hand buried in Jack’s hair, light moaning escaping his mouth.

 _Ring, ring_. The phone call seemed to scare Arty, but he quickly reached into his pocket to pull his phone out, looking at the caller ID. When he saw that it read UNKNOWN, he silenced the call and dropped his phone back onto the bed. Jack looked up at him.

“Who was it?” he asked. Arty shook his head.

“Don’t know.” He gave a sharp gasp when Jack started jerking him with his hand. The phone rang again.

“Goddammit,” Arty glanced at his phone, UNKNOWN reading across the screen again. Jack quietly laughed at him and he silenced it again.

Dragging his tongue up the underside of Arty’s dick, Jack could feel it throb in his hand. He slipped it back into his mouth.  
The phone calls seemed to end, and Arty could feel his orgasm working up. He moaned and bit his lip, gripping the blanket tight. “Ah, I’m gonna cum,” he said quickly as Jack picked up his pace of bobbing his head up and down the brunette’s cock. His light hair was disheveled from Arty, his bangs that he always combed back hanging over his face. “Oh, don’t stop- don’t stop!” Arty dropped his head back against the pillows, eyes shut tight and mouth gaping.

 _Ring, ring, ring_ …

“Fuck,” Arty looked at his phone again. UNKNOWN. Jack pulled off of his cock and Arty looked at him. “What are you doing?”

Jack raised an eyebrow at the other man. “It’s killing the mood.”

“Ugh.” Arty picked up his phone to answer it. “Hello?”

It was silent on the other end, so Arty spoke again. “Hello? Is this a prank call?” The only sound was someone’s breathing, that sounded a little harsh.

Jack started climbing off of the bed and Arty grabbed for him. “No,” he whined, Jack looking back at him with an amused smile. Arty shook his head and hung up the phone. “It’s a prank call- come back?”

Jack laughed and sat back on the bed. Arty sat up and wrapped his arms around Jack’s neck, pulling him into a kiss. Jack dropped a hand to Arty’s waist, taking his erect cock and jerking it as their kiss got more heated and intimate. Arty took his hands from Jack’s neck to undo the man’s pants and pull his own cock out, stroking the thick girth. Jack broke the kiss to push Arty back against the bed, climbing over him again. Arty put his arms around Jack’s neck again when the man took both of their cocks into one of his hands and started thrusting against Arty’s cock. Arty pressed his forehead against Jack’s, panting as his orgasm started working up again.

“Oh, fuck- go faster,” Arty whispered, gasping when Jack thrust faster against him, his hand tight around their cocks. He himself was panting against Arty at the excitement. “I’m gonna cum now,” Arty rolled his hips against Jack’s to add to the friction and started cumming, moaning and shuddering against Jack. Jack groaned against Arty and picked up the pace when Arty’s cum slicked their dicks, making the fuck lubricated. He kissed Arty, the brunette’s cheeks flushed from the warmth of still being clothed.

“Let me jack you off,” Arty murmured through the kiss, reaching a hand down to move Jack’s away. He started jerking off the slick cock, feeling Jack sigh against his face.  
As Daniel dialed Arty’s number to call him again, Henry burst into the room.

“Hey Arty, aren’t you making d- oh, uh-”

“Dammit, Henry!” Jack immediately pushed off of Arty and started putting himself away, the latter following pursuit but red-faced in embarrassment. Henry looked like he didn’t know if he should leave the room or stay, because Jack was already climbing out of bed like he hadn’t just been caught getting a handjob. “What do you want?” Jack asked, looking at his younger brother. The other blonde cleared his throat, motioning slightly to Arty.

“I was… just checking if Arty was still cooking-”

“Of coarse I’m still cooking! It’s just fucking lasagna,” Arty dragged a hand down his face, sighing. He got up from the bed and slipped by Henry to leave the room. Henry looked at Jack.

“...Did I come into something?”

Jack rolled his eyes, walking to his brother to nudge him. “Get your ass out of here.”

Daniel waited until the room was empty to leave the closet. When he did, he walked to the jewelry stand and took the locket, opening it over his hand. The pills fell out into his palm and he slapped the locket shut.

Looking down at the pills in his hand, he gave a deep exhale, face burning. He closed his fist around the capsules, his knuckles white and aching from the brick wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The formatting messed up so I had to reupload the chapter.


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Sleeping Beauty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel does something to Arty that leaves a slip-up, and Henry is the one to catch on. Joe has a tough decision to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Warning*: Drugs, minor sensual contact including a minor.

********“What is it you want to show me?” Arty asked Daniel, letting the teen string him along to the kitchen. The younger brunette looked back at Arty and smiled.

“It’s a surprise,” he replied. Arty looked away, a little uncomfortable. Jack was at work and Henry was just… gone; it left Arty home alone with the kids, something that he wasn’t too particularly fond of since Daniel’s kissing stunt. And because he seemed to be getting a little… Arty couldn’t actually think of a word for it. Aside from that trouble, Geil was having more nightmares.

Once inside the kitchen, it became apparent that an afternoon meal had been made: glasses of water and what looked to be Shepherd’s Pie. Arty looked at Daniel.

“You cooked?” he asked, amazed at the quality. Daniel gave a single shouldered shrug, smiling at Arty. He motioned to the plates that sat together at the dining table.

“Eat with me? I have something to talk with you about.”

Arty pressed his lips together, reluctant. “...Okay.” He walked to the table and sat, watching as Daniel took the other seat. The teen put an elbow on the table and leaned forward, to speak.

“Arty, why do you like Jack so much?”

Arty closed his eyes, sighing. Then he brushed his hair from his face and grabbed his glass of water, taking a drink from it. “I just do. It’s what happens when you like someone, you just… like them,” he said.

“You said you first met him when you were sixteen- that’s too young an age to fall in love with someone.”

“...Daniel, what’s wrong?” Arty looked at the teen, eyebrows knit together. “Where’s all of this coming from?”

Daniel looked away from Arty. He picked up his own glass and drank from it, making Arty drink his own unconsciously. When Daniel put his glass back down, he crossed his legs under the table.

“You’re right. I’m sorry for confusing you. Let’s eat, hm?” He gave Arty a smile. The man watched Daniel with suspicious eyes before he glanced away and nodded. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he wasn’t too fond of the thought to dwell on it.

“...Alright.” Picking up his fork, Arty started eating. The potatoes were cooked perfectly, with a nice outer layer of crust. Daniel watched the other brunette for a long moment before taking up his own fork and beginning to eat, his silverware hitting the glass plate a little hard. Arty glanced back at him while chewing his bite.

There was something wrong with Daniel. It was time to pry it out of him. Just when Arty decided to speak, a wave of vertigo washed over him and he brought a hand up to his head to try and stop the dizziness. He grabbed his water, taking a drink to refresh himself, but it didn’t seem to help.

Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Arty looked at Daniel. “Hey... did you-” his grip on his cup loosened and he accidentally spilled the water on himself while catching the glass. Daniel got out from his chair to come over, catching the man as he fell trying to get out of his seat.

“What- wh...” Arty tried to stand on his own feet but his body felt heavy; he couldn’t get out of Daniel’s arms. “Daniel, did you-”

“Hush, Arty, you’ll stress yourself,” Daniel said softly into Arty’s ear. Arty looked at him, the teen’s face growing blurry in his sight.

It hit him. He felt these effects before with Henry.

He had been drugged.

“Daniel, what did you do to me,” he cried lightly, trying harder to get away from the teen. Daniel held him tight, though. “Just take me to bed,” Arty whispered, his eyes growing heavy and his body becoming uncooperative. Daniel shook his head, bringing Arty to lay the man down on the kitchen floor.

Arty was crying, gripping Daniel’s shirt loosely to try and push him away. “Dan… Daniel, please,” he breathed, words slurring. Daniel leaned over him, looking at the man’s hooded blue eyes.

“You’re not fair, Arty. That’s all it is.”

Arty cried. His hand slipped from Daniel’s shirt as he started losing function of his body, but he managed to roll onto his side beneath the teenager, to try and crawl away. It was to no avail. What small distance he managed to make away from Daniel, he was dragged back. He cried into the floor, a tear rolling over the bridge of his nose.

“I want to say it was only two pills, but I’d be lying to you. It’s quick to act now, isn’t it?” Daniel spoke to Arty, but the man seemed to be falling asleep, his light cries growing quieter. The teen grabbed Arty’s shoulder and flipped him onto his back to look at his pale face. He clicked his tongue. “I didn’t want to use them, but you’re very stubborn, you are. ...Can you hear me, Arty?”

Arty whispered something so quiet and incoherent that Daniel just shook his head at the man.

“You’re just not _fair_.”

Getting up from Arty, Daniel stepped to the table and picked up their dishes, taking the plates to scrape into the trash and taking the water to pour into the sink drain. Then he walked to the counter, where he had his Polaroid sitting. Picking it up, he walked back over to Arty and knelt beside the man, setting the camera on the floor so that he could start stripping him.

Arty tried pushing Daniel’s arm away as the teen grabbed his shirt, but Daniel just took Arty’s wrist and brought his arm back to his side.

“Just go to sleep, there’s no need to worry,” the teen spoke. He let go of Arty’s wrist and reached out to wipe the man’s tears away, dragging the thumb across his wet cheeks. It only took a minute for Arty’s breathing to slow, showing that he had slipped into unconsciousness.

Reaching down to grab Arty’s shirt again, Daniel pulled it up the man’s chest to show what pale flesh lay underneath. The teen tried containing himself, but after a moment of looking at Arty’s bare, light skin of purity, he gave in and reached out to ghost his fingers over Arty’s jutting ribs. He quickly pulled his hand away so that he wouldn’t get distracted, and he then started to unbutton Arty’s jeans.

Pulling the button open and sliding the zipper down, Daniel gripped the waist band and pulled the jeans down Arty’s thighs.

“Daddy,” Daniel heard Geil’s voice say. The teen looked over at the kitchen’s archway, where Geil stood. His hair was cut short so that it wouldn’t look like a mess, but he had been having nightmares since the basement event that left his eyes wide and irritated. His wide eyes looked from Daniel to Arty, and then back to Daniel.

Daniel brought a finger up to his lips, watching the child. “Shh.”

Geil took in a quick breath, watching Daniel like he were the Boogeyman. The child turned on his heel and rushed away from the kitchen, a sob of terror making it into Daniel’s ears as the child ran away. Daniel turned his attention back to Arty and continued with the man’s clothes, gripping the waistband of Arty’s boxer briefs and pulling them down, too.

Smiling softly at his handiwork, Daniel looked at Arty’s face. He leaned over Arty’s body to caress a hand over the man’s torso, feeling his soft waist and bringing his face down to press a light kiss to Arty’s chest. Then he sat back up and grabbed the Polaroid, backing away so that he were at a good angle, before taking a picture of the man’s flesh.

After finishing with Arty, Daniel walked to the art room and shut himself inside, taking the pictures to his work in progress.

l.l

Arty woke up in bed.

He felt sick to his stomach and his nerves were so shot that he couldn’t control his breathing. He climbed out of bed despite his body feeling wrong, and left the bedroom to find Jack.

“Jack!” he called, his voice coming out too timid for his comfort. He fell against the hallway wall, his balance off. It made the feeling of despair inside of him skyrocket, and his eyes filled with tears, blurring his vision. “Jack! Jack!” he cried for the man. Pushing off of the wall, he stumbled to the staircase and leaned on the railing for support while he made his way down the steps. He paused to wipe his eyes, crying. Opening them again, he saw Jack coming up the stairs and sobbed, dropping to sit on one of the steps.

Jack came over and wrapped his arms around Arty, but the voice that spoke wasn’t his.

“What’s wrong, Arty?” Henry asked, looking Arty over while holding him. The brunette shook his head and pushed Henry off of him, dismayed.

“Don’t _touch_ me!” he cried when he realized that it wasn’t Jack, but his brother. Henry gave Arty a look, genuinely confused.

“What happened? What’s wrong?” He reached out to try and help Arty up, but the brunette slapped his hand away and pulled himself up by the stair’s railing.

“Don’t touch me! I’m tired of being used...” he sobbed, leaning over the railing and putting a hand over his face. Henry breathed through his nose, watching him.

“...Jack’s still at work, they needed him to stay for a case. I won’t touch you or anything, just- tell me what’s wrong before you hurt yourself or something,” he said. Arty shook his head again, wiping his eyes and crying. Henry just waited, watching Arty closely to make sure that he wouldn’t accidentally fall over the railing. Eventually, Arty spoke up.

“H-he drugged me,” he sobbed. Henry gave him a look.

“Who? When?”

“Daniel...”

Henry twisted his lips. “...Are you sure it wasn’t a dream-”

“I’m not making this up!” Arty yelled at Henry, turning to look at the blonde. Henry held up his hands defensively.

“Okay, I’m sorry. Just… Are you-”

“I know when someone fucks with me!”

“Did he rape you?”

“I don’t know!”

“Okay, let’s get off the staircase.” Henry put an arm around Arty’s shoulders to help him downstairs. Arty let him walk him, wiping his damp face of tears.

Once on the first floor, Arty grabbed Henry and pulled him along to the kitchen.

“H-he used my ambien pills,” he said, biting his lip to stop crying. Henry looked at him.

“Well, what are you taking me in here for?”

“He cooked food and put the pills in it.” Arty gave a shaky breath and walked to the trashcan to look inside. It had been recently dumped, a new trash bag inside.

“Alright, so what are we doing now?”

“Finding where the fucking food went!” Arty snapped at Henry, glaring at the man. Henry sighed and held up a hand.

“Okay, sorry.” He walked to the fridge, opening it to look inside. It just had fresh produce and some leftovers, nothing special. He looked back at Arty, who was touching himself to see if he had any damage.

“...Why don’t we just call Jack?” Henry asked. Arty gave a heavy sigh, not even bothering to look at Henry this time.

“Because he’s at _work_ , Henry.”

“Then call the police.”

“I can’t! I don’t want any involvement with them, okay? Why do you think I let you off all of the time?”

Henry shut the fridge door and crossed his arms. “So you don’t want Jack to know, then?” he asked simply. Arty looked at him, eyes narrowed.

“No.”

Henry tossed a hand up. “Then what do you want me to do?”

“Just… Can you keep an eye on Daniel?”

l.l

“You’re picking us up, too?” Daniel asked Henry, watching the man cautiously. Henry nodded, carrying Geil to the car.

“Arty’s not feeling well, I’ll take you guys for a while.”

Daniel watched as Henry put Geil in his car, buckling him in. Then the man got in the driver’s seat and looked at Daniel.

“Come on,” he said. Daniel glanced back at the front door of the house before walking to the car, getting in the passenger’s seat. The teen watched the road ahead as they drove to school, knowing the real reason why Arty was staying home, but still angry that he was.

When he was dropped off at school, he thoroughly avoided Joe, because he was still angry at him ever since the funeral. And Laura was just an annoying nuisance, so he made sure to keep his distance from her, too.

Just as Daniel had suspected, Kaiden wasn’t through with him, either. He tripped Daniel in the hallway, the teen walking by to get to lunch and falling to his knees. Kaiden and his friends laughed.

Although he was working his way up to Morrison’s status to a lot of kids, Daniel still felt that he was still just the third wheel, _trying_ to step into first place. It all felt petty to Daniel.

The teen got up and dusted his pants before continuing to the cafeteria, where he sat at a different table from Laura and Joe, so that they wouldn’t see him. Thinking about it now, he actually wouldn’t be able to avoid Joe in art class. Unless he outright told the noirette to leave him alone, but that was even under question because of Joe’s persistence.

At home, Henry was searching Daniel’s room.

He stood over the teen’s desk, sifting through papers and flipping through books to find anything hidden. One piece of paper had multiple anatomical studies of eyeballs, the lashes long and elegant. If he didn’t know any better, Henry would think it looked like Arty’s eye.

Setting the papers down again, he breathed through his nose.

“Where’s all the stuff...” he looked around the room, trying to think of anywhere that Daniel would hide anything.

There weren’t many places to hide things, and that’s what made it hard to find anything. You had to look harder.

“Okay,” he walked to the closet, where he pulled the door open to look inside.

Clothes hung in chromatical order, neatly. The whole closet looked a little neat for being a walk-in, a single pair of shoes sitting at the side. Daniel didn’t really have too much stuff, apparently.

Looking up in the closet, he saw a thermos sitting upside down. Reaching up, he grabbed it and pulled it down, looking at it. It had Arty’s name on it, so Henry pulled out his cellphone to take a picture before putting it back. Then he walked to Daniel’s bed, where he started sifting through the teen’s blankets and looking under his pillow.

Nothing.

He scratched his neck, looking around the room again. ...Maybe there was just nothing there. He left the bedroom and turned down the hall, pausing at the art room. He gripped the doorknob and turned it to open the door.

Lunch wasn’t as quiet as Daniel expected it to be. No, instead, one of Kaiden’s friends poured milk over the teen’s head from behind. Daniel didn’t even turn around to look. He just sat still and let the cold drink drip down from his hair to his shoulders. The teen committing the act paused and looked to the side, where Kaiden sat with the rest of their friends at a table. He was awkward- Daniel clearly wasn’t displaying whatever emotion they wanted him to. Instead, he stood up and walked out of the cafeteria, to get a shower and change of clothes from the locker room.

Henry sifted through his older brother’s paintings, the canvases clacking against eachother as he flipped through them. He knew for a fact that Daniel spent a lot of time in here, so there must be _something_.

He left that stack of paintings and went to another, one with more. He peeked at the paintings from the front of the pile to the back, and he finally found something. He grabbed a dark colored canvas and pulled it from the pile, taking it to the easel to set it up for viewing.

It was Arty. The paint was still wet and it looked… terrible. The background was a warped black hole of dark tones. Pinned to the bottom of the canvas were Polaroid pictures, for references. A sickly bruise on someone’s neck, pictures of flesh that were most likely Arty’s; a slim stomach, bare hip bones, slightly parted, pink lips, closed eyes with visible tear streaks, a loose hand with a pale line across the ring finger- did Daniel take Arty’s wedding band?

The only good thing about the painting was Arty, but even he was ruined. His face looked elegant, eyes closed like he were an angel, but he was naked. His body was covered in dark, realistic bruises. His bottom lip was split open and blood poured out down his chin, dripping into his hands that were cupped in front of him- spilling over with a dark puddle of blood. He looked like some kind of ritualistic god. Despite looking so abused and… demented.

His painted left hand lacked his wedding ring, but he kept his locket around his neck, dangling over his collarbones and chest. It looked like one of his collarbones were broken, the bone beneath his skin misaligned.

When Henry touched the canvas, it was still very wet, the paint coming off onto his finger.

“What the hell, Daniel?”

Daniel stood naked in front of the locker room’s trashcan, looking at his gym clothes that he had planned on changing into. Apparently, Kaiden and his friends dumped the clothes in the trash ahead of time. There was a smoothie dumped in the trash over them.

Walking back to his original clothes, he trashed his milk spilt shirt and pulled his boxers and pants back on. He’d just have to do gym class with jeans on, then.

Putting his coat on, he zipped it up to cover his bare torso and left the room to go to science.

Science went alright, but Daniel had to sit out in gym; Coach Long didn’t want him on the court in his street clothes, and basketball season was already over, so there wasn’t any point in having to attend. Said the coach.

Sitting in the bleachers, Daniel had zoned out of watching his class play ball, twisting Arty’s wedding band in his fingers.

He was still dismayed about Arty rejecting him. Why? He knew he was good looking; all the girls talked about his face and eyes, and his body. What wasn’t good enough for Arty? Was it Jack? Did he need to get Jack out of the picture?

There was a sudden, sharp pain in his nose and he was brought back to gym class. Hot fluid dripped quickly across his lips and down his chin- he brought a hand up to catch the blood so that it wouldn’t drip onto his clothes. Putting the ring into his pocket with his other hand, he stood up from the bleachers and looked at his class. A few students were already running over from the court, climbing into the bleachers to help him.

“You okay Daniel?” Coach Long called to him, hands cupped around his mouth to make him louder. Daniel swallowed a mouth full of blood and grimaced at the metallic taste.

“Fuck,” the teen muttered to himself, tilting his head up to stop the blood flow that was making a mess in his hands. A few kids he didn’t know the names of came over, with Joe. It wasn’t a relief.

“Why didn’t you catch the ball?” One of the boys asked, like Daniel were stupid. He wasn’t stupid, he just wasn’t paying attention.

“Why didn’t _you_ catch it, arsehole,” Daniel retaliated, glaring at the boy. The other teen gawked. One of the others that came grabbed the ball that hit Daniel, sitting under the bleacher, and threw it back into the court; another boy catching it. Joe grabbed Daniel.

“Come on, you need to see the nurse,” he said. Daniel turned his glare to the noirette.

“I don’t need anything.” His voice came out slurred because of the blood in his mouth and nose. Coach seemed to disagree, despite not hearing any of the conversation.

“Go on and see the nurse, Daniel! I’ll give Andrew a hall-pass for you!”

Daniel groaned, watching the kid who threw the ball back head down the bleachers to go to the coach, probably Andrew. Joe pulled Daniel down the bleachers after Andrew, taking him to the bathroom while the latter got the pass.

Leaving Daniel at the sink, Joe went to a stall to grab some toilet paper before coming back and holding the wad against the brunette’s gushing nose. With his other hand, he turned the sink on and Daniel started washing his hands.

“Kaiden threw the ball at you- I thought you’d catch it,” Joe said. Daniel looked at him through narrowed eyes.

“I don’t want you to talk to me,” he said and shut the water off, waving his hands to dry them some before reaching up to take the toilet paper from Joe and hold it himself. Joe crossed his arms.

“Why? What’s wrong now?”

“He’d be dead by now if you held up your fucking _end of the bargain_.” Daniel leaned against the sink, closing his eyes because of a headache that was setting in. Joe shook his head.

“Okay, what did he do now?”

“What _hasn’t_ he done? He’s blackmailed me, pestered me all day- thrown a ball at my face!”

“What would he have to blackmail you for, Daniel? He’s not that smart of a guy.”

Daniel gave Joe a dirty look. “I don’t expect you to understand anything. But I do expect you to get rid of him. As promised. Or you can expect me to leave you like you left your friends, hm?”

Andrew came into the bathroom, a blond haired boy with freckles. He motioned to the two.

“I’ve got the hall pass, we can go now.”

Walking to the nurse’s office was quiet. Andrew led the way as he was told and Joe walked behind Daniel to help him if anything happened. It didn’t look like Joe and Andrew were well acquainted, the latter was probably a good kid who did what he was supposed to. That most likely meant not talking to Morrison and his cronies.

At the office, there was a girl getting some tampons and signing out on a sheet. Andrew told the nurse what Daniel was in for while the brunette signed in on the sheet, the girl watching him curiously before leaving.

“Alright, what’s wrong?” the nurse asked while walking over. “You got hit by a ball?”

Daniel shrugged a shoulder, glancing at her. “Yes, I suppose that’s right.”

“It’s bleeding a lot though,” Andrew said. Joe gave him an annoyed look. Was he jealous?

“Hm, okay- let me have a look.” The nurse had Daniel sit in a chair and he moved the tissue from his nose, which had gotten drenched. Once it was gone, more blood came. Andrew went to grab some tissues from a tissue box, but Joe beat him. The nurse let them put the tissues to Daniel’s nose again while she walked to a shelf, where she grabbed a spray.

“Alright, sit forward and pinch your nose for a few minutes; if that doesn’t help then we’ll go ahead and use a decongestive spray,” she said. Daniel groaned and pinched his nose, closing his eyes. Joe got a cleaning wipe from the nurse and started cleaning the teen’s face, holding the tissues at his side in case he’d need to use them again. Andrew looked at the nurse.

“Do you need us here, or should we go back to class?”

“If anyone has to stay, it can be Andrew,” Daniel said blatantly. Joe rolled his eyes. The nurse nodded.

“Yeah, one of you can stay- Joe, you should get on back to class,” she said. Joe hadn’t expected that and looked at her.

“What? But-”

“We both know you can’t be missing class. Go on, Joel.”

Joe looked at Daniel again before tossing the tissues in the trash and leaving. Daniel could tell he was upset with him, but he didn’t care. At least, it was his own fault.

“Keep your nose pinched for a few minutes and then we’ll see if it stops the bleeding. I’m gonna step out for a minute but I’ll be back,” the nurse said and left after Andrew told her he’d watch Daniel. Now that the two were alone, it was silent. Andrew looked at all of the stuff in the room and Daniel leaned forward on his knees, eyes closed and pinching his nose shut, breathing through his mouth.

“Do you want some water?” Andrew asked, glancing at Daniel. The other teen gave a light nod. Walking to the small sink in the room, Andrew grabbed a paper rinsing cup and filled it to bring back to Daniel, who peeked his eyes open to look. He felt like shit. He took the cup and put the water into his mouth to swish around before spitting it back inside. It was red with blood and spit, and Andrew took it to dump and throw away. Daniel was glad to have the blood out of his mouth.

“Hey, why do you hang out with Joe?” the blonde asked. Daniel looked at him.

“I haven’t been, have I?”

“I mean like, every other day.”

“Because I just do.”

“Well, he’s not really that good of a person, is he? I mean, there are a lot of other kids who want to be your friends.”

“Maybe I don’t want friends,” Daniel looked at the door when it opened and the nurse came back in.

“Okay, you can let go of your nose and we’ll see if it’s stopped,” she said as she stepped inside. Daniel let go and some blood dribbled out, but not as much as earlier. The nurse came over with the spray.

“I’m gonna use this anyway, to help with the mucus and such, okay? After I spray, hold it for another ten minutes. I don’t want you blowing your nose or anything.”

“Alright.”

The nurse used the spray and Daniel pinched his nose again. “I also have a headache,” he said to her. She gave him some Ibuprofen pills that he could take after he was done with his nose.

When all of that was done, Andrew took Daniel to his next class, art, and then headed on. Joe was sitting in his seat beside Daniel’s, but the latter went off to take another. It was sort of a mistake, because it was beside two girls who wanted to talk to him.

“Hi, Daniel- why are you over here?” one asked with a shy smile, her cheeks pink. The other was more outgoing.

“What happened to you? Did you get hit?” she asked. Daniel nodded, because he couldn’t just ignore them and be an asshole like he wanted to.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out, looking at the girls. “Excuse me,” he said, something about being polite making the first girl grab her friend’s arm with an excited squeal. Flipping open the phone, Daniel saw that it said 1 NEW MESSAGE. It said it was from Joe, so Daniel glanced over, but the noirette teen was just sitting slumped in his seat on his phone.

Daniel opened the message to read it.

JOE: I’ll do it.

l.l

Henry was waiting outside for Daniel, standing beside the car. As the teen made his way over, he started to see that Henry looked upset.

“Get in,” the man said. Daniel watched him for a moment before walking around the car and getting inside. Looking in the backseat, Geil was asleep. Henry got in.

He pulled out of the parkway onto the road and started driving, where he was quiet for a while before looking at Daniel and speaking up.

“What did you do to Arty?”

Daniel looked at him, quirking an eyebrow.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“I found the pictures and the painting- god Daniel, what the hell is that stuff?”

Daniel didn’t say anything, looking ahead at the road. He sucked his teeth.

“We’re calling the state and they’re going to take you back. You have problems, Daniel.”

Daniel looked at Henry, glaring. “And what of Arty, hm? Leave him alone with you? If I told Jack of what you do with his husband, he’d disown you- you’d be the big shame of the family,” he said bitterly, catching Henry’s attention. The man looked at him.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’ve heard you before, idiot. “Halloween and twice more”. You must think you’re so smart, but Arty is just too kind to do anything- he _lets_ you take advantage of him!”

“Shut up! You’re going away, that’s final!”

“Have you even told anyone yet? Are you just _waiting_ to play the good guy?”

Henry didn’t reply, and Daniel associated that with Henry being the only one to know. He hadn’t told Arty or Jack about what he’d found yet.

“I don’t know what Arty could ever see in you, but I’ll just make sure he _doesn’t_ ,” Daniel reached across Henry to unbuckle the man’s seat belt, and then he grabbed the steering wheel and swerved the car just as a truck drove towards them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the chapter ended up a little longer than expected. I hope you liked it!


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Close for Comfort

****Daniel fluttered his eyes open, a throbbing pain in his head. There was a beeping noise beside him and he looked to his side, a dim light above him letting him see in the otherwise dark room. It was a heart monitor, beeping persistently because a cord had slipped. Daniel rolled his aching head to the right and caught Arty. The man was sleeping in a recliner beside the bed that the teen lay in. He looked like a mess. A beautiful mess.

Daniel rose his arm from the bed to reach across and touch Arty, but his arm was heavy and when he looked at it, he discovered that it was in a cast. He breathed through his nose and put his arm back against the bed, closing his sore eyes. There was a sudden flush from around the sink in the room and Daniel peeked his eyes open to see Jack coming out of the bathroom. The man shut the light off and shut the door before turning to the sink to wash his hands, where he saw that Daniel was awake.

“Hey, Daniel,” he said softly to not wake up Arty. Daniel just watched the man, too tired for comfort.

“What happened?” he asked. Jack didn’t answer until he was done washing his hands, drying them with a paper towel from the dispenser across from the sink.

“Well… you were in a car accident. I don’t know what happened, exactly. You’re in the hospital, though.”

“Where are Geil and Henry?”

“Geil’s at Sandra’s house,” Jack tossed the paper towel in the trash underneath the sink, “And Henry’s still in surgery.”

“Will he make it?”

Jack glanced at Daniel briefly before walking to the bed and around, where he sat against the marble windowsill beside Arty. The windows were giant, and it looked like it was getting dark outside through the cracked blinds. The man shrugged while shaking his head.

“I… don’t know. I honestly don’t know.”

Daniel tried sitting up in bed, but his vision rolled over with giant, black blotches and his head pulsed with pain. He moaned and lay back down. Jack sighed.

“The doctor says you have a concussion. You also have a pretty bad gash on your leg. ...Try not to move much,” the man said when Daniel tried looking down at himself, a blanket over him.

“When can I leave?” the teen asked. His head was spinning. Jack lifted his hand to look at his watch.

“It’s seven forty p.m. They want you to stay overnight, but we’ll leave first thing in the morning if they let us.”

“Do you have work tomorrow?”

“No, they let me off when we heard about the accident.” Jack crossed his arms. “Do you remember anything about the crash?”

Daniel let out a heavy sigh. “No, not really. ...Actually, Henry was sort of going off about… weird things.” He looked at Jack, eyebrows knit together in false emotion. It seemed to work on Jack, though, because he gave Daniel a confused look.

“Like what?”

“I’m… not entirely sure. He talked of being upset about work, feeling like a burden to the family.”

“What?” Jack scoffed. Daniel nodded softly.

“Then he started about being upset with _me_ , and… I think he did it on purpose. I-I do, I think he meant for us to crash.” The teen put a hand to his forehead, saddened by the “memory”. Jack didn’t want to think badly of his brother, but Daniel could see that he was falling for the bait.

The door to the hospital room suddenly opened and a nurse came inside. She smiled at Jack and Daniel when she saw them look at her, and she walked to the paper towel dispenser, where there was a marker board that she signed in on.

“I’m gonna be your nurse for the night,” she said quietly while writing her name as _Emily_ on the board. She looked young, maybe Arty’s age. Her eyes looked tired though, full of grey. Jack nodded in acknowledgment. Emily walked to Daniel’s bedside, where she started messing with the monitor. “I was wondering what room this beeping was coming from,” she murmured and the rapid beeping came to an end. Then she took something from the wall behind Daniel and went to do something to him, but he stopped her with his good arm.

“What are you doing?” he asked. She gave him a reassuring smile.

“I’m checking your vitals, I just need to check your blood pressure real quick.”

Daniel held her at bay for a moment before giving in and letting her do her job. She checked to make sure everything was okay before writing some things down on a chart.

“Okay,” she said, “So, your pupils aren’t really reacting evenly and your breathing is a little rough; are you having any pain?”

“My head, I have a very bad headache.”

The nurse nodded. “Okay. I can get you some Ibuprofen for that. While I get that though, I’m just gonna let you breathe in this air- it’ll stimulate your lungs, alright?”

Daniel gave a hesitant “Alright”. Emily stretched a thick tube from an air compressor and rest it on Daniel’s chest. Turning it on, some cool air started coming out and blowing against Daniel’s face. “Just make sure to breathe it in, and I’ll be back with the pain medicine, okay?” Emily pat Daniel’s shoulder softly before leaving the room. Arty shuffled in the recliner and Daniel glanced over. The man was awake now, probably because of how noisy the air was. Arty looked at Daniel before turning his attention to Jack.

“What’s happening?” he asked. Jack motioned to the air machine.

“His lungs were stalling.”

Arty sighed and brought a hand up to rub his tired eyes. Watching him, Daniel noticed that he was wearing his wedding band. How did he get it? Where were Daniel’s clothes? Arty looked at Daniel again, resting his chin on his hand. Daniel looked at the man and they made eye contact. Arty knew that Daniel was freaking out inside. He dropped his hand to the floor beside the recliner and brought up a sack.

“Your clothes are in here. They’re bloody and torn from the crash, but I didn’t know if you wanted me to throw them out or not,” Arty said while watching Daniel. The teen stared at Arty. Jack cleared his throat, getting both of their attention.

“I need some coffee. Do either of you want any?” he asked. Arty shook his head.

“I’m alright. I don’t want to be up all night.”

Jack leaned over to kiss Arty before walking to Daniel and patting his head. “Okay, I’m gonna get two just in case.” He left the room after that and Arty put the bag back on the floor. He closed his eyes and sighed.

“...All we’ve wanted to do was help you,” he said softly. Daniel looked at the wall, breathing in the cool air deeply. It did help him to breath better, his breaths coming out smooth. “Did you crash the car?” Arty asked, opening his eyes to look at Daniel again. The teen didn’t answer, staring at the wall. “Daniel. Did you crash the car?”

“Henry did.”

“Why would Henry-”

“Why do you care? You don’t care about Henry, I know you don’t.”

“Geil was in the-”

“Everything is about Geil to you!” Daniel snapped and looked at Arty. “He- he’s just a kid! He tells you he loves you because that’s what kids do! When I told you I liked you, I meant it!” He breathed heavily. Arty sighed and shook his head.

“Daniel, you don’t _understand_. I get it. You had a rough life. That doesn’t mean you can just latch onto someone and do what you want! There are consequences. What you did-”

“I wouldn't have had to do that if you had just _accepted_ it.”

“Accepted _what_ , Daniel? You need to see a psychiatrist.”

“Accepted that you love me and not Jack. I’ve seen the way you look at me, I’ve done so much for you! What has Jack done? Given you money? Taken you away from your mother? You’re only with him because he reminds you of your father!”

Arty slapped Daniel. He was standing up beside the bed now, panting angrily. He still held his hand up, shocked that he had slapped the teenager, but not upset that he did. Daniel looked at Arty to glare at him.

In a swift move, the teenager grabbed Arty’s wrist tight with his broken arm. Arty tried pulling away, but Daniel just tightened his grip.

“Let go of me before you hurt yourself,” the man said to Daniel. The teen just glared at him, his broken arm shaking because of the strength he used to grip Arty. “Let _go_.”

“I will take everything away from you Arty. Don’t think I haven’t done it before.” Daniel squeezed Arty’s wrist until the man cried out in pain. The teen let Arty go after a moment and the man rubbed his abused wrist before going into the bathroom just as both Emily and Jack came back. Daniel dropped his aching arm to his side.

“Alrighty, let’s take a look at things now.” Emily walked over to look at the monitor. She smiled. “Looking good, Daniel. Your air is looking very good.” She started putting the air away and Jack set the cups of coffee on the counter of the sink. He looked at Daniel.

“Where’s Art?”

“Mm, he left to the restroom.”

Emily handed Daniel a paper cup with some pills in it. “Go ahead and take these; it’s just some pain medicine to help with your headache.”

Daniel took the pills with some water she gave him, and then Emily wrote on the marker board _Ibuprofen: 8:15 P.M. Next adm. 12:15 A.M._

Jack went to sit in the recliner and Emily turned to leave the room, bumping into Arty as he came out of the bathroom. Looking at him, he looked like he had probably cried some; to Daniel anyway. Jack was looking at the marker board to see what all was written.

“Oops, excuse me,” Emily slipped by Arty, but the man caught her by the elbow. She looked at him.

“Um, is Henry out of surgery yet?”

“Henry?”

“Henry Mason- it’s my husband’s brother.”

“Oh. I can check to see, but his surgeon should come and tell you when he’s in the RR. If you go into the waiting room, they have a digital chart for patients in the OR.”

Jack shook his head. “It’s fine, we’ll just wait for the surgeon to come by.”

Emily nodded and smiled to them all before making her leave. Arty looked at Jack, clearly upset at his dismissal, but his husband just shrugged.

“Henry’s a strong guy. I don’t want to be rushing the surgical team, they’ve been on him for four hours already,” he said. Arty rolled his eyes and glanced at Daniel again before walking to Jack. The teen was just watching them silently.

Arty dropped down onto Jack in the recliner and the other man winced when the brunette’s butt bone jabbed his groin. “Babe, ow,” he complained, scooting in the big recliner to give Arty more room. Arty sat beside Jack and crossed his arms, staring at the wall bitterly. Jack tried putting an arm around Arty’s waist, but the other man leaned away. Jack scoffed. Getting up from the chair, he walked to the linen closet of the room and grabbed a hospital blanket and took it back to the recliner with him, grabbing the coffees on the way.

“May I have one?” Daniel asked, making Jack look at him. The man groaned.

“We should have asked if you can.”

“It’s alright.” Daniel held out his good hand for one and Jack handed over a coffee after a small moment of contemplation. Then Jack put the other coffee on the windowsill beside the recliner and went to sit beside Arty again, but the brunette had decided to take up the room of the chair. Jack gave him a look.

“Babe.”

Arty looked at him. “Babe,” he copied. Jack rolled his eyes before shaking his head in annoyance.

“I don’t know what’s wrong, but move your ass some.”

“Like you _ever_ know what’s going on,” Arty said angrily and scoot to the side in the chair. Jack narrowed his eyes at the man before sitting beside him and unfolding the blanket to lay over them both. Arty twisted in the seat to face away from Jack and Daniel, and Jack just looked at him.

“...Okay, what’s wrong?” he finally asked. Daniel sipped his coffee, staring at the ceiling. Arty didn’t answer Jack, so the man pulled out his cell phone to check his emails from work.

Arty could see the light from behind him and huffed. “Put your phone up,” he muttered. Jack glanced at him from a new assignment.

“I need to study this case.”

“You don’t _need_ to.”

Jack put his phone in his lap and looked at Arty.

“Why are you putting all this frustration on me? What did I do?” he asked. Arty ignored him and closed his eyes, curling under the blanket. Jack watched him, waiting for a response. When he didn’t get it, he just reached over Arty and grabbed the coffee, picking his phone back up with a shake of his head.

In the morning, Arty was folding the blanket. Emily had come by once every hour to check Daniel’s vitals, but now it was the morning nurse, a woman named Liz. She seemed a little cranky with things, and she didn’t act as thorough when taking care of Daniel. Jack was still asleep because he had drunk coffee and stayed up looking at the case until six in the morning. It was just seven, right now. Daniel was awake though, lying in bed and watching Arty fold.

The surgeon had come in at two a.m. last night. Apparently, Henry had cut his head open on the windshield; the truck hit Henry’s car on the driver’s side and it went rolling. They found him underneath the car. To add to that, he had glass shards in his stomach and his left leg had been absolutely torn up. He was in the ER on life support, in room 302. It was a miracle Geil was unscathed.

Arty put the blanket back in the closet and looked at Daniel.

“Come on, they’ve already checked you out,” he said. Daniel didn’t move yet, his body still aching. Arty went to the recliner and nudged Jack. “Wake up, they put Daniel on release.”

Jack didn’t wake up at first, but Arty managed to get him up eventually. Once Jack got up, so did Daniel. He wanted to rest as long as he could, but he still wanted out of that place.

The three left the room and took an elevator to the first floor from the fifth so that they could go to the parking garage. It was relatively cold outside, and Arty decided that he would drive, because Jack was too tired and Daniel wasn’t able.

“Are we going to your mom’s house to get Geil?” Jack asked Arty. The brunette shook his head.

“She can drop him off. I hate burning gas for her.”

“You need a nap when we get to the house,” Jack muttered. Arty looked at him but didn’t say anything. Jack didn’t have to look to know Arty was giving him _the look_.

Daniel rested in the back seat until they got home, where they all three went their own ways. Arty went to take a bath, Jack went to his office, and Daniel went to his room.

Arty twisted his wedding band around his ring finger while he lay in the bath’s hot water. As soon as he had gotten Daniel’s clothes while he was in surgery, he searched for any evidence of anything. From that, he found a tracphone and his ring.

Looking through the phone’s texts, there was only one contact: Joe. There were deleted messages that probably held some type of incrimination for something. That said… where did he _get_ the phone?

Arty sighed and sank into the water, closing his eyes to think. What had Daniel done to him? He hadn’t been raped, he could tell. Just… what happened when he was knocked out? What was he trying to _do_?

Arty suddenly sat up in the bath and reached out to grab his phone from a small shelf. He called his friend Cameron. It rang just a few times before he answered.

“Hey Art, what’s up?” his college friend asked, probably walking down the street because of the sound of traffic. Arty leaned forward on the bathtub’s rim.

“I need you to pull up some documents. About a kid named Daniel Scott.”

“Okay… I’ll text you what I find. Anymore specifics?”

“He’s from Edinburgh, Scotland. He was an orphan.”

“Okay then, I’ll see what what I can do.”

Arty smiled softly. “Thanks, Cameron.”

l.l

That night, Daniel stood in front of the fire, watching the embers float up into the air from the canvas he had worked so long on- Arty’s painting. He was upset about burning such a masterpiece, but other than that, he felt empty inside. The fire provided a small amount of warmth to his chilly body.

“What are you burning out here?” Jack suddenly asked, making Daniel jump. The teen glanced behind him at the man. He shook his head to clear his mind.

“Just a bad painting.”

“Mm, I’ve had some of those. Want some marshmallows?”

Daniel chuckled lowly. “No, thank you.”

Jack pointed off to the house. “You sure? You’ve already got a fire going, might as well make some good use of it,” he smiled. Daniel sucked his teeth and shrugged.

“Alright, I suppose.”

Jack stepped forward to the teen and put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, Henry’s gonna be okay. You can cheer up,” he said. Daniel watched the fire.

“...I’ll try.”

Jack pat Daniel’s shoulder before turning away and walking back to the house to get some marshmallows. As if waiting for Jack to leave, Daniel’s phone started ringing when he was gone. He pulled the phone out and flipped it open to look at the caller ID. He smiled and answered it, putting it to his ear.

“Yes?”


	18. Chapter Eighteen: Life Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura proposes a visit to Morrison in the hospital, Daniel ties up a loose end, and Joe may finally gain Daniel's full trust.

“Man, it’s been so long since we’ve hung out,” Kaiden said and tossed his lanky arm around Joe’s shoulders. The noirette nodded, looking down the dark alleyway they used to take as a shortcut with Morrison to the more frowned upon part of the city.

“Sorry.”

“Well, it’s okay, just like… why’d you stop hanging out with us and stuff?” Kaiden looked at Joe. The noirette shook his head and shrugged.

“I guess I… I told you, it’s kind of dumb to keep doing all that childish shit.”

Kaiden laughed. “What? Joe, I get you want good grades and stuff, but hanging out with a faggot and prep aren’t going to get you those. Just saying.”

Joe looked at Kaiden, who looked at his “friend” with a smile. He rolled his blue eyes and ducked out of Kaiden’s arm. “It’s not like that,” he said. Kaiden snorted.

“Then what _is_ it? Joe, you, me, and Morrison have been friends for years- why are you trying to drop out now?”

“Why are you harassing Daniel?”

Kaiden stopped walking to look at Joe with narrowed eyes. “What?”

Joe sighed and also stopped, putting his hands in his pockets. “You and your friends, you keep like, messing with him. Why?”

“Um, I don’t know? Maybe because he’s turning you into a pussy,” Kaiden shrugged and Joe squinted.

“Dude, you’re an asshole.”

“So are you! You just _ditched_ me!”

“That’s kind of not the same.”

Kaiden groaned in frustration before shaking his head and holding up a hand. “Forget it, never mind.” He started walking again, and Joe followed suit, annoyed that Kaiden was so… annoying. Then the skinny brunette spoke up again, his tone of voice having some confidence in it. “You want to know something, though? Daniel’s only here because his dad tried to kill him,” he said. “He probably didn’t like the fact he had a gay son.”

“Shut up, Kaiden,” Joe muttered while walking. Kaiden looked at the noirette, who was watching the end of the alley as they walked. He scoffed.

“No, think about it! What if he was like, trying to get with his dad? Like, “Hey, Pa, let me suck your cock,” the brunette spoke the last part in a mocking accent and burst out laughing at himself.

“I said _shut up_!” Joe turned to shove Kaiden, and the brunette stumbled before catching himself. He looked surprised that Joe pushed him and held up his hands in defense.

“...I’m just joking, man,” he said while Joe ran a hand through his black hair to pull some loose strands from his face. Kaiden cleared his throat and dusted his coat like he had been shoved into dirt. “What’s with you two? Are you dating or something? Because, I’ve noticed there’s something going on,” he said with a frown. Joe watched him with narrowed eyes. “...Are you guys banging?”

“No, we aren’t.”

“Then why the hell are you getting so defensive? He’s doing something to make you… be his friend- is he blackmailing you?”

“Like how you blackmailed him? No.”

Kaiden threw up his arms. “Then what’s going on? God- I only wanted to make him feel bad because you’ve been hanging out with him.”

“Why the hell would that make you bully him so _excessively_?” Joe asked. “It’s like you’re trying to ruin him.” Kaiden groaned.

“Because I am! He’s an asshole who acts all high and mighty- and he’s crazy! Have you ever actually _seen_ him? He killed a dog just so I wouldn’t tell people about his scars!”

“Just leave him alone!” Joe pointed down the alley. “You can go ahead yourself, I’m going home. Just leave him the fuck alone.”

Kaiden squinted at Joe and shook his head. He started walking down the alley again. “I knew you two were fucking banging,” he called over his shoulder bitterly. “Why else would you care so much? Fucking fag-”

Joe started after Kaiden and threw an arm around the teen’s neck, pulling him against him so that he could hold him tight. Kaiden immediately reached up to start pulling on Joe’s arm, but the other teen just pulled tighter. He could hear Kaiden struggle against him for air.

“Joe,” Kaiden strained, “Let me _go_!” He threw an arm back and his bony elbow struck Joe in the cheekbone. The noirette grunted in pain but didn’t let Kaiden go. He held him tighter around his throat. He could hear Kaiden croaking.

Kaiden’s gave up on trying to pull Joe’s arm from his throat and turned to pulling the noirette’s hair, but he was too weak to do any damage. His breath hitched as Joe tightened his arm even more, and then, after a long moment of struggling, Kaiden’s arms fell down to his sides. Joe held the brunette for a minute longer to make sure that he was dead before dropping him. The teen fell to his knees before falling limply against the alley floor on his stomach, his head turned to the side. Joe stood over Kaiden’s body, panting heavily from the anger that was burning inside of him. He took a deep breath and reached up to smooth back his disheveled hair before pulling his phone out of his pocket. He called Daniel, the phone only ringing twice before being answered. He could hear fire crackling in the background.

“Hello?” Daniel asked into the phone.

“I killed him,” Joe breathed, “I killed Kaiden.”

Daniel hummed into the phone. “Are you sure?” It sounded like he was teasing. Joe gave a shaky breath, the anger in him burning away into fear as he started to realize what he had actually done.

“Yes,” he said.

“Send me a picture.”

Joe looked down at Kaiden’s body, the corpse lying breathless and limp on the ground, eyes staring vacantly to the side. But then his head started to move, turning backwards to look at Joe with loud cracks from his neck.

“Joe?” Kaiden asked and smiled at the teen, his grin spreading too far to look nice. One of his arms reached up, the shoulder cracking at it reached up for Joe. “Joe?” Kaiden laughed, his laugh echoing in the alley. His arm started stretching for Joe, growing longer- the noirette screamed in terror.

“Joe. I’m trying to sleep,” Daniel muttered. Joe looked around, breathing quick and harsh, and sweating. He was in the shed in the woods, sitting up on the bed frame. He looked to his side, where Daniel lay sleeping. That was right. Joe had come to Daniel’s after…

“I killed Kaiden,” he murmured to himself. He climbed off of the metal bed frame and dragged a hand down his face. He couldn’t get Kaiden’s grin out of his head. After killing Kaiden, he had come to to abandoned shed, where he and Daniel had laid down a pile of blankets on the metal bed frame to make it comfortable for laying down.

Joe pulled his phone out of his pocket to call Kaiden. Had he really killed him?

 _Ring ring ring-_ He quickly hung up. If he had killed him, the police could track the call to him.

The bed’s rusted springs squeaked and he looked at Daniel, who was sitting up and looking at his own phone.

“It’s three in the morning, what are you doing?” he asked Joe, looking at him. The noirette swallowed dryly.

“...Are they gonna know I did it?”

“If you left any evidence behind, probably.”

“Daniel!”

“What?” Daniel sighed. “It’s okay; they’ll think it was just a mugging gone wrong. You did take his wallet, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t take his phone… oh, _fuck_!”

“Calm down. You took his wallet, that’s enough for the city police. They don’t really look too close into muggings.” Daniel rubbed his forehead, his head still throbbing from the car crash. Joe bit his lip.

“What if they question me?”

“Then you were here with me. Staying the night at a friend’s. Ugh, my head.” Daniel lay back down and closed his eyes. Joe watched him.

“...But what if they’re really smart?”

“Just go back to sleep, Joe- they won’t suspect a thing. He’s a little rich boy, isn’t he? He just turned up in the wrong place with the wrong crowd. That’s what happens to bad kids.”

Joe sat on the bed and shook his head. “How do you know all of this stuff? Seriously Daniel, who are you?”

Daniel didn’t look at Joe. He yawned and lay there for a while before answering with, “You just survive, Joe. That’s what this is.” He opened his tired eyes and glanced at Joe, who was barely able to be seen in the dead of night. “If you stick with me, then I’ll make sure you’re alright, alright? ...Just don’t ever get in my way.” He closed his eyes again and sighed in exhaustion. After a long time, Joe finally lay back down beside him, his body warmth helping to warm the bed in the cold shed.

l.l

“Did you hear what happened?” Laura asked Daniel after school. The brunette nodded.

“My teachers told me.”

“God… I can’t believe it. I _really_ can’t believe that happened.”

“Accidents happen, Laura,” Daniel looked at her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She gave a small nod, her lips pressed together tightly. Kaiden Mauer had been found dead. Murdered. The school had found out just before last hour, when his presumed missing or kidnapping ended in him being found. There would be a memorial set up in the high school tomorrow.

“...It’s just… sad.”

“Don’t dwell on it, you’ll just depress yourself. I’ll see you Monday.” Daniel offered her a smile and she nodded again, her eyes on the ground.

“...Okay.”

Daniel squeezed her shoulder to comfort her, his eyes finding Joe in the parking lot, the noirette looking at him in wait. The foreign teen let go of Laura to walk over to Joe, but she caught him by the arm and he looked back at her.

“What’s wrong, Laura?” he asked. Laura let him go to hold her hands in front of her.

“I… kind of want to visit Morrison. But my parents won’t be home. ...Can you give me a ride to the hospital?” she asked quietly. Daniel furrowed his eyebrows.

“I can’t drive, Laura. What am I to do?”

“Could your dad give me a ride? I’m just… really sad.”

Daniel snorted. “Wouldn’t seeing Morrison be the _last_ thing to do when sad?”

“Don’t joke, Daniel!” Laura’s eyes looked betrayed. Daniel sighed and glanced back at Joe, who was standing nervously in the parking lot. A kid walking by bumped his shoulder and he jumped. Daniel looked back at Laura.

“Please don’t bring up Joe,” Laura said before he could speak. He blinked.

“What?”

“You’re my best friend, Daniel; can you please just help me now? You guys are always going off and things, leaving me alone. We’ve barely even talked since you left to that funeral.”

Daniel sucked his teeth and brought a hand up to smooth back his hair. “Mm… I suppose I could ask Arty, if it means that much to you,” he said. Laura smiled, taking in a deep breath like she had been suffocating.

“Thanks, Daniel. Morrison’s just been so alone in the hospital, and now that Kaiden’s...”

“Yes, I know. Come on.” Daniel took her by the wrist and started walking to the parking lot. He could see Arty’s car, the man sitting inside with his head back against the seat and eyes closed. He had been keeping a close eye on Daniel, but he had also been avoiding him. Jack seemed to be being the good guy now, since he was secretly very upset about his brother being in the hospital and Arty wasn’t being the support he needed to be. Daniel walked by the car to Joe, who looked like he hadn’t slept. He hadn’t. He stayed up all night in the shed thinking, and then he drove to school in the early morning so that Arty or Jack wouldn’t ask why there was another car in the yard.

Joe looked from Daniel to Laura as the two approached, and then he looked back to Daniel, on edge as though he suspected Daniel of telling Laura something. Daniel bit his cheek.

“I’m going with Laura to the hospital,” he said. Joe looked at Laura again, who smiled kindly at him, the stress on her shoulders lifted onto Joe’s. He looked at Daniel again.

“But we were going to… study,” Joe said slowly. Study, as in: make sure all of Joe’s tracks were covered and to properly dispose of Kaiden’s stolen belongings. Daniel nodded.

“I know, we’ll do it tomorrow. Care to join us and visit your ol’ pal?”

Laura gasped. “Yeah, Morrison would be happy to see you!” she exclaimed. Then she cleared her throat and looked down. “...I’m sorry about Kaiden.” Joe glared at her with a scowl and Daniel snapped his fingers, watching the teen. The noirette tore his blue eyes away from her and she looked at Daniel curiously at the sound. He just motioned.

“Come on, Arty’s already here.”

Laura looped arms with Daniel happily and he started walking with her to the car. He turned his head back to looked at Joe when he didn’t hear the teen’s footsteps, and Joe decided to follow after a moment of frustration, his arms crossed over his chest. Daniel walked the teen and Laura to Arty’s car, where he rapped his knuckles against the window. Arty opened his eyes and looked at the trio, exhaling through his nose and unrolling the window.

“What’s up?” he asked, giving a well played, fake smile to Joe and Laura to appear as though nothing was wrong. Daniel noticed the look as something that Arty often wore around Henry. It was upsetting. Laura smiled in return.

“Hi, Mr. Ma-”

“Arty, kiddo,” Arty chuckled. Laura blushed.

“Arty… can Daniel come with me to the hospital? We want to visit our friend Morrison, since...”

Arty shifted in his seat, sitting up to look at Laura better. He furrowed his eyebrows. “Shouldn’t you be going home? The school told all of us parents about that kid, aren’t your parents wanting you home?”

“It was a friend of mine, Kaiden,” Joe spoke up, looking at Arty’s blue eyes with his own. “Our other friend Morrison’s been in the hospital for a long time, so he’s been lonely. And now that Kaiden’s… We’d just appreciate it a lot if you could take us to see him. He probably doesn’t know what happened, so I’d probably tell him.” Daniel nodded in silent agreement, proud at the well thought out words Joe had spoken. Because they seemed to work Arty through. The man sighed, nodding.

“Alright,” Arty said, “Go ahead and hop in.”

The teens piled into the car, Laura and Joe getting into the back with Geil. The boy looked overwhelmed at the teens’ sudden arrival. He remembered Joe from the last time they rode together, but his mind had been played with so much that he started crying; Daniel plus Joe whom he really didn’t know plus a stranger… Laura looked at Arty when she got in, shutting her door.

“Um...”

Arty looked back at Geil, Joe looking at the kid like he didn’t want to be there, and Laura looking at him like she had accidentally hurt him. “It’s okay Geil, it’s just Daniel’s friends. That’s Joe, remember?”

“I wanna go home,” Geil cried, trapped in his seat belt between Joe and Laura. Arty huffed.

“We’re going home in a little bit, we’re going to the hospital real quick.” Arty turned in his seat to start driving, resting his elbow against the window and putting his head against his hand as a headache started working its way up. Joe looked at Daniel for help with Geil, but the Scottish teen was watching the road, virtually leaving Joe and Laura to Geil’s mercy. Laura offered Geil a smile.

“Um, hey. My name’s Laura.”

Geil put his hands over his eyes while he cried. “I want Daddy...”

Arty gave a slow breath and reached out to turn on the radio. Daniel smirked to himself at the rudeness of that.

Laura reached between her legs to unzip her backpack, which she then pulled a granola bar from. Opening the wrapper, she held it out to Geil. “Hey, I have a snack for you. It’s chocolate, do you like chocolate?”

Geil wiped his tears away and looked at the bar. He swallowed down his crying and sniffled, wiping his nose before taking it from her. She smiled big in happiness, overloaded by his cuteness. Joe watched the two with his eyes before looking out the window beside him. Daniel watched the road while Arty rubbed his aching forehead, listening to the radio’s music of Sam Smith’s Nirvana.

Once they were at the hospital, Geil had warmed up considerably to Laura, to the point of the two halving another granola bar together. Then it was agreed that Arty would take Geil home and come back to take Laura and Joe to their own houses. So, Joe, Daniel, and Laura took an elevator to the fourth floor, where Morrison was in room 408. He was well enough for friends to visit, as long as they left in time for his physical therapy.

Joe knocked on the room’s door. There was no reply, so he peeked the door open to see if Morrison was awake. He was, watching TV and laying in bed. He probably expected it to be a nurse or someone, because he didn’t even look over. Until he heard three sets of foot steps. Then he glanced over.

His eyes widened, his real one larger than his fake. He grinned at seeing Joe, and it seemed to make the noirette smile too. Morrison sat up in bed.

“Hey,” he said happily, “What are you guys doing here?”

Joe chuckled and pointed at Laura. “She suggested it- how are you doing?”

Morrison looked at Laura as Joe pointed. He hadn’t expected to see her, so he quickly tossed his blanket over himself. “Um… hi, Laura.” Laura smiled shyly.

“Hi.”

Morrison watched her for a long time, admiring her. Daniel wasn’t lying before. Morrison liked Laura and she liked him back. Morrison changed direction to look at Daniel. “What are you doing here, Daniel? And what happened to your arm?” His words were curious, rather than accusing or offensive. Daniel shrugged a shoulder.

“Supporting Laura. And this,” Daniel rose his cast arm, “Just a car accident.”

“...Are you guys...” Everyone was quiet for a moment before Daniel and Laura looked at each other. Then they both looked at Morrison and shook their heads.

“No, no, me and Daniel? God, no,” Laura said with an awkward laugh. Morrison laughed.

“Okay, that’s good. I mean, not like _that,_ ” Morrison cleared his throat.

“It most certainly may be like that,” Daniel said. Joe smirked as Laura elbowed Daniel.

“Not now, you butthole!” she exclaimed. Morrison laughed before dying down. He looked at Joe while smiling.

“Where’s Kaiden?” he asked. Laura looked at Joe and Joe swallowed while watching Morrison. He glanced at Daniel. “...What?” Morrison sounded. Daniel rose a hand up.

“I’m going for a drink, does anyone else want one?” he asked. No one answered, Morrison watching them in suspicion. Daniel took this time to walk by Joe and leave the room. When he was close to the teen, he leaned into his ear. “Keep them occupied,” he whispered. Joe blinked at looked at Daniel, watching as the brunette left the room.

Daniel turned down the hall and left to the elevator, where he took it to the third floor. Down that hallway, in the east wing, he walked by various rooms until he was at room 302. A nurse walked by him and he gave her a nod and a smile, to which she smiled in return while walking passed. She walked to the end of the hall and turned the corner.

The hospital had various sections that were still designed in the eighties. The maternal unit, children’s unit, and burn unit had all been remodeled recently, but the rest of the hospital was left in the dark. Including the special care recovery rooms and ER, which bore no cameras in the hallway. The walls were old, yellow stained by their age. And some rooms’ monitors were really loud. Down the right hallway and to the left was a bathroom, as told by the hanging direction signs. That would be Daniel’s escape.

He opened the door to room 302 and stepped inside.

There was a steady beep, along with the dropping air of the life support machine. The machine rose and fell, mocking lungs. On the bed in the room was Henry, with tubes going inside of his body and chords stretched across to various machines. He had a neck brace and he looked close to death, bandages wrapped around his head and his eyes swollen from his head trauma. One of his legs were propped up to steady the blood flow.

Daniel walked to the bed and looked down at Henry’s abused face. He reached out and poked the man’s cheek, but he didn’t respond in any way.

“I’m sure you’ll end up a vegetable,” the teen spoke softly, “But I can’t take any chances. You should know, yes, Uncle Henry?” He looked at the chords, following them to see where they went. “I’m very curious as to how you could work the courage to sleep with your brother-in-law. That’s a very rude thing to do.” Most of the chords went to the monitor, where his vitals were shown. Another to his IV and another to a small, brown/yellow container that read EPIDURAL. Beneath the bed was a urine container, which meant that he had a catheter.

Daniel walked around the bed to the other side, where the life support machine was kept. Dropping to his knees, he followed the chords from it that led to a plugin in the wall. He grabbed the cord and glanced back at Henry.

“It’s nothing personal,” he said. Then he laughed. “I lied, it’s actually very personal.” He yanked the cords from the wall and the heart monitor’s digital, humped lines, fell into a flatline. The slow beeping followed it, turning into a long, dead tone. Daniel quickly got up and ran out of the room, running down the hallway to the bathroom.

“ _Code Blue, Code Blue,”_ the intercoms spoke around him. He was forced to fall into a natural walk when doctors and nurses started appearing, running passed him to Henry’s room. He took a turn and stepped into the bathroom, where man looked at him from the sink, eyebrows raised.

“That doesn’t sound good,” he said. Daniel shook his head.

“It doesn’t.”


	19. Chapter Nineteen: From Heaven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Summary: Arty plays Daniel, and Laura grows questions towards Kaiden's death.

“We’ve managed to resuscitated him and he’s stabilized,” the doctor spoke to Arty in the hallway of recovery rooms. “But his oxygen was cut off for a long time.”

Arty dragged his hand down his face, sighing. “...You don’t know how this happened?”

“No, we don’t. We’re really sorry.”

“You said this happened around four?” Arty dropped his hand to his side, suddenly feeling like he hadn’t slept last night, when he had.

“Yes, sir.”

Four. Four p.m. That was about the time that Arty was there with Daniel and his friends. At least, the kids. Arty had stayed out in the car with Geil. It was six p.m now, because Jack was at work and Arty had misplaced his phone at the house when the hospital tried calling. By the time he found his phone, he had six missed calls. Almost seven until he’d finally answered.

“And… you don’t have any cameras over on this part?”

The doctor sighed. “No, I’m afraid we don’t.”

“...Okay,” Arty cleared his throat and brought his hand back up to run it through his hair. “He’s going to make it?”

“...If he does, he’ll most likely never wake up. I… can give you paper work for-”

“No, no, we’re not pulling the plug. Again. How much is it going to cost to keep him on?”

“If we’re being honest, thousands. Monthly. With all of the snow here, we get hundreds of accidents- more than what rooms we have available.”

Arty bit his lip so that he wouldn’t cuss up a storm. He couldn’t help himself though and let out a loud “Fuck!” while gripping his hair. The doctor didn’t seem to be too fazed. He probably got that a lot. “Fuck! Fuck, okay,” Arty crossed his arms, since he couldn’t seem to stand still, “I… need to go. Just make sure that nothing else happens to him, okay?”

“We’ll certainly try, but-”

Arty turned away from the doctor, cutting the older man off. He had to leave. Daniel and Geil were outside in the car, which Arty had to argue with them about because Daniel wanted to… Daniel. Arty stopped walking. Daniel. He turned back to the doctor, but he had gone. There was a nurse walking by, though, so he grabbed her by the arm.

“Ma’m, did you see a teenager around this room earlier today? Curly brown hair, tall-” The nurse shook her head.

“Er, I wasn’t here earlier. You could ask the morning shift, but they won’t be in until tomorrow.”

Arty sighed and shook his head. “No, that’s okay.” He let go of her arm and watched as she walked away, the woman glancing back at him while scampering away in her blue hospital scrubs. She’d offered him a small, apologetic smile, but he just turned away to leave to the elevator. Elevator L was around the corner, which would take him to the first floor. He stopped walking again.

...He should visit Henry. Yes, he was in a coma. Yes, he would probably never wake up. That was precisely why he needed to visit him. He felt at fault for what had happened. If he hadn’t let Daniel get to him, he wouldn’t have had Henry drive Daniel and Geil around- Daniel was trying to get to him. He was trying to get to him, and he knew that he could. That’s what he was doing. He was trying to own him.

Arty turned on his heel and started off to Henry’s room. Room 302.

There was no check-in at the front desk, there were no cameras, there was no nurse or security waiting outside of the room- there was only an empty hallway with dying patients in lonely, empty rooms. There were no lights on in their rooms. Henry was no exception. His room was dark and lonely, besides the life support breathing and his heart monitor beeping.

These rooms are absolutely perfect for killing someone. Daniel could have pulled the plug and gotten away with it five times over. Arty couldn’t stop questioning himself- why did he think he could help Daniel? Why didn’t he notice anything sooner? No, he did notice. Why didn’t he _do_ anything sooner?

Arty walked to Henry in his bed, where he looked the opposite of what you see in movies. In movies, there are only bruises and scrapes, and casts. Reality had a way to change those pictures. With Henry, it was scary. Life had no censorship. Even with Arty’s brother Andrew was in the hospital. His amputated limbs were swollen and yellow with sick bruises; stitches that looked like black hair sticking out of his surgically removed legs and left arm. Henry looked like that, swollen with yellow bruises where the stitches had taken to his right cheek and head, which had been shaved to allow for surgery. Bandages took his arms, and his legs were covered by the blanket, a luxury that Andrew wasn’t allowed. He wasn’t allowed bandages, because his amputated limbs needed to breath for proper healing.

Arty started crying. He dropped his head into his hands and sobbed in the seemingly lifeless room. Life was so ugly. No, death was. Death, when it claimed Andrew due to an infection in his blood. When it claimed Jack’s youngest son Avery, hanging from a noose in the art room for Arty to find. When it took Arty’s father, David, in a motorcycle crash in his childhood. Now, as it tried claiming Henry.

All of that had the capacity to be avoided. Arty didn’t have to talk Andrew into going to that ski trip. He didn’t have to leave Avery alone that day. He could have tried harder to make David stay home. He should have done something about Daniel before the crash.

Why was he so weak? He couldn’t even look at Henry for a minute. The bruises and stitches and swollen eyes made him think of Andrew, and he couldn’t look at Andrew.

He sniffed and wiped his eyes, shaking his head. _Suck it up_. He told himself that, but he didn’t look at Henry again to gain the upper hand on his weakness. Instead, he dried his eyes and walked back out of the room. So that he could face Daniel.

Daniel was in the car with Henry and Geil. He was at the hospital when Henry’s life support stopped. It had to have been him.

After walking back to elevator L, Arty waited until he was on the third floor; the first floor before the morgue and another, and left the hospital to his car. There, he got in and buckled his seat-belt. Daniel looked at him from the passenger seat.

“What’s happened to him?” he asked. Arty looked at the teen before taking his gaze to the steering wheel.

“He’s dead.” He turned the key in the ignition.

Daniel rose an eyebrow before shaking his head softly. “...Wow. I mean, I can’t believe it happened _that_ fast. ...I’m sorry, Arty.” He looked at Arty’s face, the man’s blue eyes glaring at the steering wheel.

“...It’s okay. We’re still a family, with or without the extensions, huh?” Arty looked at Daniel with his eyes. Daniel watched him for a moment and then smiled, showing his dimples that Arty found so cute before.

“Yes, with or without.”

l.l

Laura waited for Daniel to arrive for lunch. That was really the only time that she could see him anymore- he was always quick to get to class or talking to Joe. She didn’t want to be a nuisance and take Daniel away from Joe when Kaiden was dead, but she didn’t have any other friends. The girls in class would talk to her and laugh with her, but they weren’t her _friends_.

Laura glanced up from the table, where she fiddled with her fingers atop of. Daniel was coming into the cafeteria, alone. He looked at Laura and she smiled, standing up from the table to get his attention. He decided to walk over.

“What’s up, Laura?” he asked while setting his lunch on the table. Laura sat back down, putting her hands in her lap. She cleared her throat and waited for him to sit before speaking.

“I um, heard about your uncle. Sorry.”

“Yes, it’s a shame he’s passed.”

Laura furrowed her eyebrows. “Uh, no… my aunt said that they revived him. I’m sorry that he’s in the hospital.” She tilted her head curiously, noticing that Daniel looked as confused as she felt. “...They revived him after his life support-”

“Y-yes, I am aware of what you said,” Daniel said, eyebrows knit together. Arty had said… The teen blinked and let out a breath. He’d been played. He sucked his teeth.

“Um… what’s going on with you?” Laura sounded, prompting Daniel to look at her. She looked like a puppy, head cocked to the side. “You just...” she straightened up and twisted her lips. “You keep hanging out with Joe, and you don’t tell me anything anymore.”

“Since when did I tell you things?” Daniel’s voice came out a little soft; he was still in amazed awe that Arty had the guts to lie to him like that. It sort of made him excited, the more he thought of it.

“Daniel, really.”

“Alright,” Daniel snapped into full reality, looking into Laura’s small brown, haunted eyes. What had she seen in her short years? Kind eyes, but haunted by something unforgiving… what were her secrets? “What do you want to know?”

“What’s going on between you and Joe? Are you guys doing things that I don’t know about? Like, are you doing something that’s going to get you in trouble?” Laura’s eyes looked worried. Like she actually _cared_ for Daniel. Daniel laughed.

“What, like drugs? No, silly. I suck him off. Is that simple enough for you?”

Laura shifted like she had been slapped upside the head. She was filled with the utmost confusion. “What?”

“Joe is gay. He doesn’t think people will accept him, so I invite him over because he’s scared. Is that what you wanted to know?”

“...I just… feel like you’re keeping secrets.”

“Well of course I am. Are you trying to know my secret life? It’s secret for a reason.”

In the small silence that followed, Laura had time for something to click in her head. The cogs had been turning for a while, but she didn’t want to believe anything like what her brain was telling her. Even if Daniel was… sucking off Joe, the looks that went on between them and the two always leaving in the manner they did- it was like they were hiding something… else. “...Daniel, um… Wasn’t Kaiden bullying you, before?”

Daniel watched Laura’s thinking face. “...I’ve told you before, it’s just boys being stupid. Stupidity probably caught up with him.” He dropped his gaze down to start unpacking his lunch.

Laura stared at Daniel, biting her lip. Should she bring it up? No. Yes. No. “Do you think… Did you try to teach Kaiden a lesson? I understand if he tried to hurt you or something and you had to hurt him in self defense, but did you-”

“Laura, you are _seriously_ thinking I’ve done this? You think that I would kill someone?” Daniel scoffed. “What is wrong with you? I may have hated him, but I didn’t-”

“I know that I’m probably annoying or something to you, but you could have told me! I mean, whatever happened, you could have told me, not… Joe- why do you trust him so much?”

“First off, Laura,” Daniel brought a hand up. “If I ever… _killed_ Kaiden, I would _not_ have told his best friend, Alright? And second, I did _not_ kill him. Maybe I don’t tell you that Jessica raped me, or that I suck cock, or that I was being pestered every day by Kaiden because I knew that you would bring it up during lunch with the most loudest voice and then _accuse_ me of killing an idiot who could have killed himself with his stupidity.” Daniel rose his voice a little, but just to get his point across. His point of: Your mind is getting the better of you. Because he knew that she wasn’t wrong. In a sense; Daniel didn’t kill Kaiden by hand. And it seemed to get across. Laura’s eyes had fallen to the table.

“...I’m sorry, Daniel. I just...”

Daniel clicked his tongue and pointed at her in “realization”. “You’ve never been to my house, have you? You feel left out.”

Laura twisted her lips and breathed through her nose. “...Yeah, I guess so.” She did feel left out, that was true. Every time she asked, Daniel seemed to beat around the bush. Riding in the car with Arty and Daniel and Geil, such a functional family… she wanted to do that again. How silly she was, accusing Daniel of… murder.

“Then why not come over today?”

“What about Joe, though?”

“He’s off at Kaiden’s locker paying his respects, you know, the little memorial thing they’ve set up.”

Laura reached up to rub her neck. “...But won’t he want to come over?”

“Laura, have some confidence. He’s upset over his friend, he won’t be coming over.” Daniel gave Laura a smile and she gave a small one back, her previous worries fading away.

When school ended, Daniel took a happier Laura to Arty’s car. Geil seemed to remember her instantly, because he smiled at her with his small teeth and wide eyes. Arty glanced to the side at Daniel when the teen got in the seat beside him.

“Inviting a friend over?” he asked dully, tired from lack of sleep lately. And from all of the research he was having to go through on Daniel. It was appearing to be very hard to get the information he wanted, even with Cameron’s help.

Daniel looked at Arty and nodded, smiling to the man. “That’s alright, isn’t it?” he asked. Arty gave a light shrug and pulled the car out of the driveway. While Arty was driving, Daniel pulled his phone out of his pocket, keeping it hidden against his thigh. Pulling up Joe’s number, he sent the teen a quick text message, one that he almost hesitated to send.

Laura looked around once inside the shed with Daniel, eyes wide in admiration of an abandoned shed filled with snow. Something about it was aesthetically pleasing. “Wow, this is yours?” she asked, looked at Daniel with an open-mouthed grin.

“I found it, that makes it mine enough, hm?” Daniel glanced at Laura. She chuckled. “Come here,” Daniel added before walking further into the shed. He walked her to the bedroom, where the metal bed-frame still had blankets thrown over it, but a thin coat of snow had gathered atop of them. He motioned around. “It’s very baren, isn’t it?”

Laura nodded. “Yeah. Are you gonna do stuff with it? Like, decorate it?” Looking around, she could already see where things like Christmas lights would make it look fun and homey. A proper place for friends to hang out.

Daniel looked at her, slipping his hands into his pockets. Over her shoulder, he could see Joe creeping up behind her from the bathroom, where he had been hiding. He averted his gaze to look around the room again. “Maybe. Any recommendations?” He could see a grin find its way on Laura’s face, that he purposely avoided looking at.

“Are you really asking me that? Maybe-” A creak. A creak on the old wood behind her. She turned around to see what it was and her eyes found Joe. Before she could do or say anything, Joe thrust a knife into her stomach. As soon as the pain struck in, Laura shoved him back and ran passed him into the hallway. Daniel yelled at him, “Don’t let her go!”

Joe pushed off of the hallway wall and turned to run after Laura, catching her by the back of her coat and pulling her back inside of the shed just as she managed to get a single foot out of the front door.

Wrapping an arm around her throat, Joe held onto her tightly and slammed the knife into her abdomen- again and again and again until she got weak in the knees. She couldn’t scream because of the tight hold that gripped her around the throat, choking her- smothering her.

After holding her for a while, Laura slumped in his grasp and he let her go, her body falling to the ground. He panted heavily from the chase.

“Clean your hands with the snow,” Daniel said as he stepped into the room. He watched Joe nod and leave the shed. Then he walked to Laura and knelt down beside her body. Taking her yellow hair, he moved it from her face, her haunted brown eyes open and lips parted; teeth stained with blood that dared to come out. He cut through the tears that trailed down her flushed cheeks with his thumb before petting her head softly and breathing deeply through his nose. “Just sleep, Laura.”

Joe came back inside, hands cold and fingers flushed from the snow. “Is she dead?” he asked. Daniel nodded, keeping his eyes on Laura’s pale, flushed face.

“Yeah.”

Joe walked to Daniel and knelt beside him, grabbing Laura by the arms. It went unspoken, but the two picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, where the giant pile of snow was from the hole in the ceiling. They silently buried her in the pile of fluffy white. Like a grave from Heaven.

“Her body will stay preserved longer in the cold,” Daniel finally spoke. Joe nodded and glanced at the brunette, who was looking at the snowy grave.

“You okay?” he asked. Daniel didn’t nod or reply, so the noirette reached out to take Daniel’s hand, but the teen pulled it away. “...Are people going to know where she is?” Joe asked after a moment of silence between them. Daniel shook his head.

“She didn’t tell anyone she was coming over.”


	20. Chapter Twenty: Finale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arty gets to know just what kind of person Daniel really is, and Death his its claws on one more person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the long wait!! I don't have my own computer, and I've been dealing with personal issues.
> 
> [[Updated version]]

Arty sat in the peace of Jack’s study, with his laptop on his husband’s desk. Geil was asleep in his room, his medicine having made him drowsy. Daniel was still out with Laura, doing whatever they had decided to do. So, Arty had been using this time to look at the things Cameron sent to him.

An accident report from Daniel’s previous orphanage in Scotland. The file was confidential, but Cameron had gotten passed that.

**_May 24, 2014:_ ** **Accident Report**

_ Charlie Anderson, 14 years old, was found deceased at 6 p.m. this afternoon, four miles north of Cauvlin Children’s Home. _

_ Police officials said he had been deceased since 1-2 pm that day, of suffocation due to anaphylactic shock. Questioning of the children in the Home has placed Daniel Scott as a witness. _

Arty closed that file and opened Daniel’s witness statement, which Cameron had also gotten a hold of. In total, there were two cases that Cameron had sent to Arty, both involving Daniel in some way.

_ I, Daniel Scott, of 503 Burwood Rd, Cauvlin Children’s Home, state: _

_ On May 24, 2014, Charlie and I were walking along the fields for a last time before his adoption, at eight a.m.. _

  1. _We stopped to break at an old maple tree and I took a nap. When I woke again, he was gone. I looked for him for a bit, but I assumed he had left me, so I started back to the Home._
  2. _I returned at five and looked for him, but I didn’t find him. I told the Headmistress that he was gone and she called the Yard._
  3. _I believe that the contents of this statement to be true and correct._



_ Signed:  _ **_D. Scott_ **

_ Dated: May 25, 2014 _

Arty closed his eyes and sighed. That was the shortest witness statement he had ever seen. If these documents were in Confidential, that meant that the orphanage didn’t want anyone to see them. Probably to keep a good image. But, that could mean that Daniel lied. And they let him.

Charlie and Daniel left at eight a.m. and stopped for a nap. Charlie’s body was four miles away, that gives the time of their stop at about noon. Okay, so Daniel napped at noon. Then he took a four hour walk back to the Children’s Home and got there at five. He should have gotten there at four. Had he slept for an hour? No, rather… had he lied about napping? Could he have done something else instead of sleep against a tree? Why would Charlie just  _ leave  _ him?

The orphanage could have helped cover up whatever happened.

Arty ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it back, out of his face and sighing.

Daniel could have murdered Charlie in that hour nap. How, though? ...Why?

Arty looked at the computer screen again and closed the witness statement. There were a lot of ways to die of anaphylactic shock, he didn’t have to think too hard on that. Daniel had simply found a way to do it and not get caught. At thirteen years old. He had killed someone at thirteen years old. Theoretically.

There was another document, on the death of another boy, so Arty opened that one to look.

**Death Scene Investigation Report:**

Investigator _ : John Lee _

Date of Death _ : April 14, 2016 _

Case Number _ : 22165 _

Primary Rationale for Medical Examiner Activity: Other:  _ Suicide _

**Decedent Identification:**

_ (Last Name) Reid _ __ __ _ (Middle Name) Anderson _ __ __ _ (First Name) James _

Aliases: Jimmy Date of Birth:  _ August 12, 2002 _ __ _ Age: 13 _

Gender:  _ Male _

Home Address:  _ Cauvlin Children’s Home _

**Secondary Parties:**

Identified By:  _ (Last) Langstien _ __ _ (First) Marla _

Relationship: Other:  _ Orphanage Headmistress _

Means Identified By:  _ Appearance. _

**Witnesses:**

Found Decedent.

Name:  _ Daniel Scott _ .

Address:  _ Cauvlin Children’s Home _

**Scene Information:**

Describe how death occurred:  _ Suicide by hanging, with- _

Arty cursed and sat back in his chair. The rest was blacked out. There certainly were factors the orphanage was hiding. One thing was certain, though: Daniel was transferred to the US half a month after this incident.

He closed the browser and shut his laptop before getting up. Shaking his head, he left the room so that he could cook dinner. Opening the fridge for ingredients, it was getting pretty empty. He hadn’t been going out too much for groceries. Jack couldn’t, because the stores were closed by the time he was back.

“Ugh, fuck.” The brunette shut the fridge again and pulled out his phone. He’d just have to order pizza or something. Dialing in the number, he suddenly hung up and put his phone into his pocket. Where were Daniel and Laura? It was almost dinner time.

Turning to leave the kitchen, he walked to the back door, sliding the doors open and stepping outside onto the porch. He looked around the snowy outside for the teens but didn’t see either.

“Daniel!” he called. He crossed his arms and leaned against a porch beam. “Daniel, Laura!” He was about to call for them again, but Daniel suddenly came up behind him from inside the house.

“What, Arty?”

Arty turned around to look at the teen. He dropped his arms to his sides and pushed off of the beam. “Where were you?” Daniel smiled.

“Why? Miss me?” He tilted his head with his smile. Arty shook his head with a scoff.

“Where’s Laura? Where were you two?”

Daniel straightened up and rolled his eyes. “We were in my room. Her parents came to pick her up. A-nd I tried to tell you...but we couldn’t find you. Shame; her parents wanted to meet you.” He turned to head back into the house, but Arty grabbed him by the arm to stop him. Daniel looked back at Arty, who was looking the teen over.

His pants were wet. The bottom, associated with drying snow.

“What’d you do, sneak in the front door?” Arty scoffed. Daniel rose an eyebrow.

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you have a way with lying.”

Daniel laughed. “You think I’m lying? I’m flattered, but no. Can I have my arm back now?”

Arty held him for a moment before letting go and shaking his head. He brought his hand up to run his fingers through his hair. Daniel continued going into the house, and then Arty spoke up again.

“Tell me about Charlie and James. What really happened?”

Daniel glanced back at Arty. He smirked, although his eyes held contentment. “I wonder what strings you’ve pulled to get those files. Confidential, aren’t they?”

“You killed them.”

Daniel sucked his teeth. “That depends on what you’re willing to believe. If I told you the reports  _ weren't _  true, you’d still think I were a killer, wouldn’t you? Stubborn.”

Arty gave a humorous laugh. “Stubborn? You don’t get to call  _ me _  stubborn! You put Henry in the hospital!”

“And you lied to me about him!” Daniel snapped, turning to face Arty fully. “All you’ve done is lie to me! Why do you keep lying!” He rose his voice exceptionally and Arty glared at him. The man walked over and put his hands on Daniel’s shoulders.

“Daniel. You need serious help.”

“What, are you threatening me? You think you can threaten me with something like  _ therapy _ ?”

“No, not therapy. And I’m not threatening you.” Arty pressed his lips together. “...Just stop while you’re ahead.”

Daniel sneered. “Stop  _ what _ ? Maybe you should focus on your own things. Like Geil, or your naive  _ husband _ . Or better yet,” he leaned in close to Arty’s face. “Dealing with your own demons. You’ve too many for me to help you with.” He twisted out of Arty’s grip and left to the stairs, to his room. Arty bit his lip and looked at the floor. He growled to himself and spun around to hit the glass doors.

His phone vibrated. He was going to ignore it, but it was persistent, a phone call. He reached into his pocket to pull it out, to which he saw his mom’s caller ID. He took a deep, calming breath, and answered it.

“Hello?” he asked, wondering why she was bothering to call him this late when she had other things to do. Like dinner parties.

“Arthur, it’s your mother,” Sandra’s voice sounded. Arty closed his eyes.

“I know. What?”

“I’m coming over in a few days, so make sure you’re not… asleep.”

That in particular made him more annoyed with her, because that had only happened once. And the word “sleep” was something he wasn’t keen on hearing anymore. “Sure, okay,” he said, “Anything else?”

“No, nothing in particular. How is Geil? After what I've been told.”

“He's fine.”

“And the new one, Daniel?”

“...He's fine too.”

“Good, though I don't really believe you,” Sandra said softly, not out of emotion, but because she was preoccupied by brushing stray hairs out of her face in front of her vanity's mirror. Because she was headed to a dinner party, like Arty knew. Her son leaned against the glass sliding doors and put a hand on his forehead, closing his eyes and trying to mentally hang up on her, because physically doing so would just make her come back with a vengeance.

Sandra cleared her throat into the phone, gently because she had 'manners', despite being trailer trash once. “Anyhow, I expect you to be home and aware, because I have matters to discuss,” she said and tapped her finger against her red lips, making sure that her lipstick looked perfect in her reflection.

“Like  _ what _  Mom? I have things to do.”

“Oh, son, we both know you don't. I'll be there in a few days, so keep your “schedule” open.” Sandra hung up her phone and Arty gladly threw his phone at the sofa in the living room. He dropped down to sit against the doors, where he pulled his knees up to his chest and rest his head against them.

l.l

“What'd you tell your dad?” Joe asked Daniel as the two walked down the school hallway to their classes. Daniel shrugged a single shoulder, his arm still cast and in a sling.

“Her parents came for her.”

“...Why isn't anyone asking about her yet?” No one was. All the students were going about their own business, and no one mentioned her name.

“She's just a nobody. She told me once her parents don't care if she's gone.” Daniel turned a corner with Joe, but the two came to a stop when they saw some police officers. Joe puffed.

“...Sure about that?”

“Damn. Must have been her aunt. Come, get inside the bathroom,” the brunette grabbed Joe by the shoulder and quickly ushered him to the bathroom, but before he could follow after, an officer looked over as a student pointed at the teen. The slightly bigger man started making his way over, and Daniel let the bathroom door shut, shutting himself out of the safety of hiding.

“Daniel?” the cop asked. Daniel nodded, putting his hand in his pocket.

“...Yes?”

“Could you come into the counselor's office? We need a word.”

Daniel nodded again. “Sure, don't know what about, though. Is it about Kaiden? Because I didn't know him too well,” he said, walking with the officer down the hallway. The officer glanced at him.

“No, it's about someone else. Let's wait until we get into the office.” Daniel gave a light nod and followed after the officer. When the man turned his attention back to the office at the end of the hallway, Daniel looked back at the bathroom door, which was still shut. He wasn't one to scare easy or anything, but man, did he wish he was in there right now.

In the principal's office, Meathead left him to the officer and apparent police chief's mercy. The three sitting in chairs with Meathead in the hallway, the police chief introduced himself and his colleague. “Daniel, I'm Lieutenant Downy. This is officer Laine,” he spoke. His hair was white and coarse, as was his mustache. The officer that had brought Daniel in, Laine, had hair of such a red shade that it looked brown. Perhaps it was auburn. Daniel nodded in greeting.

“Hello.”

Downy gave the teen a smile and shifted in his seat to get more comfy. Then he cleared his throat, to get back into his seriousness. “Well... We hear you're a relatively good student. Wouldn't you say?”

Daniel gave a small, single shouldered shrug. “I suppose. Have I done something wrong?”

“Laura Givens,” Laine spoke up, “She's also a good student here. Perfect grades, perfect attitude- and she's been missing since yesterday.”

“What? Laura?” Daniel laughed, his laughter dying into a snicker and shake of his head. “No, that isn't Laura. You're right, she's a good girl- she must just be sick, mate. Have you talked to her parents?”

Downy nodded solemnly. “We have. Her aunt reported her yesterday after school. Do you know if she has any enemies? Or problems at home? Maybe she told you some secrets.”

“Mm, she said that she had to go home after school, that her mom was working a lot. Maybe... maybe she felt neglected and ran away. She never had any enemies- she was my first friend when I moved here. She made me feel welcome. Is she really gone missing? Are you sure she isn't home? Maybe if I call her-”

“No, she's gone missing. She isn't home. ...maybe you should go about your day,” Downy said, earning a very upset glance form Laine. Daniel took the opportunity though, standing from his seat and looking at the two men. With his lips pressed together in “worry”, he gave the two a small nod before leaving the room. Meathead gave him a firm, comforting pat to his shoulder as the teen made his way from the adults.

In his escape from the doom, he was caught by Joe, who caught up jogging from behind.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Get away from me.” Daniel elbowed Joe in the ribs, the latter giving a hefty “Ow”. “We need to keep a distance. If they ask, Laura didn't tell you anything. She maybe seemed a little off, but she didn't let on. Alright?”

“...Yeah, sure. ...I'll see you in art, I guess.”

Daniel gave the noirette an annoyed look. “No, you won't. You're still upset over Kaiden, look it.”

l.l

Arty walked Geil into the house. The boy was tired and wanted to be carried, but his father wanted him to walk to stay awake and alert; the boy was sleeping excessively all week, and he was starting to look like it. Daniel walked in front of them, moving his bangs from his eyes with an exasperated breath that he didn't mean for Arty to catch. Really, he was also exhausted. He hadn't been sleeping well. He hadn't nightmares, but he kept tossing and turning, and staring at the ceiling. With that, he hadn't been painting. It was a bad case of idle hands- he desperately needed something to do.  And add school, with the persistent girls and mourning students, and police interrogations. The teen glanced back at Arty, whose beautiful blue, tired eyes were on the teen.

Daniel would smile at him, usually. Or make him fluster. The exhaustion of everything seemed to affect their gazes. Daniel just saw Arty looked at him and turned away again, his mind void of thoughts. He didn't even have any thoughts for Arty. A single thing came into his head regarding the goddess of a man.  _ It's probably time to kill him, too.  _ It was a pained thought, much like when your dog becomes too viscous and has to be put down. It was probably time to put Arty down. As much as he adored him.

For Arty, he was still racked with disgust and anger at Daniel- emotions brewed from the teen's shenanigans: murder, almost killing Henry, torturing Geil,  _ drugging _  Arty. It was the same as with Daniel though; he was exhausted. He wanted to shake his head at the teen, or spit in disgust, but instead, he just watched the tall brunette who seemed to be a little taller than he was before, brush his hair from his face and sigh tiredly. Stripped of his jacket when he entered the house, Arty could see how Daniel's dark grey t-shirt moved against his torso, his waist slim but thick from athletic activities that garnered him a tight body of light muscles. As the teen moved his hair from his face, Arty could see the tendons in his forearm roll and shift. Then Daniel looked at him before looking away, as though he barely saw him there. Arty looked down at Geil.

“Go on to your room and do your homework. If you fall asleep, I'm taking your crayons.”

“Daddy...” Geil whined, looking up at his father with his choppy hair and wide yet tired eyes. Arty pointed to the stairs.

“Go on, don't make me say it twice.”

“Come Geil, I'll help you,” Daniel sounded, stopping to look back at the two again, Arty shutting the front door and beginning to strip of his coat. He unconsciously gave Daniel a distrusting look, which made the teen roll his eyes. “I'll keep him awake. That's all.”

He and Arty held each other's gazes for a moment, as if searching for truth and lie; similar to a spurned couple having a cold war, to which one could blow the bombs at any moment. Arty gave in first.

“Okay Geil, go on with your brother.”

“Da-”

“ _ Go _ , Geil.”

Daniel stepped up and took the boy's hand so that he could pull him along to the stairs. Once the two were out of sight upstairs, Arty planned to sit on the couch and relax for a bit, but there was a sudden knocking at the front door before he could relax. Turning direction, the man left to the front door to open it.

Sandra stood on the porch, looking more decked out than usual. She gave her son a look.

“Did you forget I was stopping by?” she asked. Arty rolled his eyes, because he didn't really care for remembering anything anymore. But, then, he did remember something. The case files.

“Mom, I have to show you something,” he said and grabbed her by the skinny arm, pulling her inside the house. She scoffed.

“Arthur, what is it?”

He always hated his name, but hearing her say it every time she saw him was deadly. “It's something about Daniel- there's something wrong with him, and I've got to show you.”

“He's a boy, puberty isn't a weird thing. You should know,” Sandra rolled her eyes, her lashes coated in some rich mascara. Arty gave her a look before focusing on the task at hand and dragging her along to the stairs. His laptop was in his room; he had been looking at the files last night to make sure he didn't miss anything, and it instead just got him to know the cases better.

Dragging his mom up the stairs, the woman's phone went off before they reached the top, and she pulled her son to a stop to look at the notification. Arty wasn't going to pay it mind, but he found himself looking at his own phone when it also went off.

An amber alert. With his car model.

“Isn't this your car?” Sandra asked. Arty shook his head.

“No, it's the wrong model. What are you even here for?” he asked, since she had stopped his quest for his laptop. It was his car, though. Laura was missing, and she was last seen getting into his car. What exactly had Daniel done to her? Had he lied to Arty? Of course he had! The two had been lying to each other like they were saying “hello”!

“I'm moving,” Sandra said in response, shutting off the buzzing amber alert and putting her phone up. “I've just come over to tell you.”

Arty blinked in surprise before staring at his mother. “Moving where?”

“North Carolina. I've met someone and we're moving there. I wanted to see you before I left.”

“...What, are you moving now? You're moving  _ right _  now?” Arty scoffed, disbelieving.

“Yes. I'm taking a plane. And you'd better straighten things out, or those kids of yours won't be here anymore. Someone will take them away,” his mother said in a weak, condescending voice.

Arty laughed. “Why the hell would they take my kids? I'm there for them a hell of a lot more than you ever were for me.”

“I may not have been the mother you wanted, but your father is the one who abandoned you. Not me.”

“He didn't abandon us! He left us money when he died, and you spent it all of jewelry and country clubs instead of paying for Andrew's hospital bills! That money was for us!” Arty stared at his mom, eyebrows furrowed. “You chased Dad away, and you killed Andrew,” he said. “ Now you're trying to forget that they ever existed!”

“Why wouldn't I! Have you seen yourself?” Sandra's eyes wandered over her son, like she were looking on at a monster that she had once known. That's how he was looking at  _ her _ . “Your obsession with those two is making you a mess- you can't even sleep at night! I'm leaving, Arthur,” she spoke. “And you need to learn how to take care of yourself.”

“All you care about is money! Dad died and you never gave us a cent of what we were left behind! You killed my brother!  _ You _  killed Andrew! You _  killed him! _ ”

“Art-”

“You only care about yourself!” Arty shoved his mom and it was like a switch went off. Everything froze as they looked into each others' eyes, hers growing wide and his burning with hatred. A gasp, a little breath was all that came from her before she fell down the stairs, tumbling and rolling down the steps with sick thudding and cracks. She lost a stiletto in the fall, and by the time she was at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes were staring vacant, her head turned to the side and looking off.

Arty started blinking, realizing what he had done. He raced down the stairs, hopping over her stray shoe. He knelt down beside his mom.

“M-mom, are you okay?” he grabbed her shoulder and shook her, her head rolling limply to the other side. One of her arms were bent underneath her, her collarbone misshapen. Arty brought his hand to his mouth, staring at his mom and panting heavily. “...Oh my god,” he pulled himself up to stand and watched her, in case she was going to blink or say “Ow”, but she didn't do anything.

“What's that noise?” Daniel asked, peering down the staircase. Geil wandered in behind him, keeping a distance from the scary teenager but also hearing something strange. Before Arty could yell at the two to go away or not to look, Daniel looked at Geil and pushed the boy back. “Back to your room, lad!” he scolded. Geil looked up at the teen, his plump lips trembling at the look in Daniel's eyes. The boy turned on his heel and ran back to his room. Then, Daniel shook his head and made his way down the stairs. “My god Arty, is she dead?”

“I don't fucking know! Oh my god,” Arty cried, putting his hands over his face and then running them through his hair. “I didn't mean to!” he sobbed. “Did Geil see?”

“No, or he would be screaming his arse off.” Daniel knelt beside Sandra to look her over, and then he looked at Arty, who was pacing in a small area. The man stopped and pulled out his phone.

“I have to call an ambulance!”

“No, Arty!” Daniel got up and ran over to steal the man's phone away. He pointed at Sandra's body. “It was an accident, yes? Then we'll make it an accident. Call and tell them she fell- tripped. You'll go to prison, Arty. Tell them you found her like this, alright?”

“I-I can't-” Arty got weak in the knees and dropped down to sit on the floor. Daniel left back to Sandra and started moving her body, lying her onto her stomach and staging her broken arm once more. It was difficult with only one hand, his other still in his cast and sling, but he managed to get her how he wanted. Then he looked back at Arty.

“I'm giving you the phone. Call and say you found her- it's okay if you cry, they'll believe it more. Do it.” He slid the phone across the floor to Arty, who wiped his tears and brushed his hair from his face. He looked at Daniel.

“I'm not a killer,” he whispered, his eyes glassy. Daniel watched him for a moment before smiling, the smile that he would give before they got so tired of each other.

“You are now.” Did he really think of putting Arty down? No, Arty isn't like Charlie or James; he didn't know what he was doing. He didn't meant the things he'd said before. And Daniel didn't mean the things he'd thought. He'd miss Arty too much if he got rid of him, he knew that. And now he could really keep Arty to himself. “Call before it comes suspicious,” he said to his sinful angel. “I can't have you going away. You mean too much.”

Arty looked good with blood on his hands.

The man swallowed and picked up the phone to dial 911, his hand shaking.

_ “911, what is your emergency?” _

“M-my mom, I think she fell down the stairs! Please, you have to help me!”

_ “Okay, your mother fell down the stairs, is she breathing?” _

“No, she's not! I can't- I can't- I need help!”

_ “Alright, are you alone? I need you to start CPR, I'll help you through it.” _

“My son is here,” Arty breathed, looking at Daniel. Daniel met his eye and kept him there.

_ “How old is your son?” _

“Sixteen.”

_ “Can he help you with chest compressions?” _

“No, he has a broken arm- are you sending help?”

_ “I need your place of address; hand the phone to your son, please.” _

Arty gave the phone to Daniel, who put it on speaker phone and told her their address. Then she started telling them how to do CPR. When Arty went to do so, Daniel stopped him. He shook his head.

“The CPR isn't working, M'am,” the teen spoke into the phone, watching Arty. Arty stared at the teen. This was how he killed those kids. So calmly, he just... faked it. He faked everything. How many times had he done this before?

He had killed Laura. There's probably an APB out for Arty's car. They think  _ he _  killed her. When the ambulance gets there, there will be police-

Arty grabbed Daniel's arm tightly, making the dark brunette look at the man. “They know Laura got in my car yesterday,” he whispered, his voice barely coming out. Daniel watched him for a moment before his eyes widened in realization. He gave Arty a look as though it were  _ his _  fault, and turned his attention back to the operator on the phone.

“M'am, the cellphone's dying. I don't know-” the teen hung up the phone and quickly shut off the power. Then he looked at Arty again. “Drive your car out to the woods, make sure it's deep inside. I'll dust the tire tracks.”

Arty shook his head, breathing heavily. “You can't just hide a  _ car _ , Daniel!”

“You can if you can't do anything else! Now go and hide it, we have just fifteen minutes if we're lucky.” He watched Arty sit there, the man lost on what to  _ really _  do. “Go!” he ordered, pushing Arty's shoulder. The man stood and turned to leave the house, going out the front door. Daniel stood up himself and went off to get the broom, to which he followed after Arty to start dusting the tracks as the man drove the car to the woods.

Sweeping the snow took a while, but it was double that time and Arty hadn't returned. Daniel stood on the front porch, jacketless, as presumably was Arty. The teen was worried. He could hear the police sirens echoing through the snowy fields. They weren't close, but they were in the vicinity.

Then Arty emerged from the woods. He looked like he had been running, so he had probably hidden the car far in the woods and run to make up for lost time. Daniel waved him over quickly.

“We have to warm up! Hurry before they get here!” he called. He waited for the older brunette to reach him before going inside the house with him. Arty started making the fireplace, his hands shaking from the cold. The fire lit up and the two knelt in front of it, rubbing their arms and chests to help the heat take over. They were both chilled to the bone, but the fire's heat gave condolences to their skin.

When they got to a nicer temperature, the sirens were ringing outside.

**\- A few days later -**

“I'm moving,” Daniel spoke. He plucked at loose fibers on his cast, his arm itching underneath. Joe furrowed his eyebrows and looked at the brunette, dumbfounded. They sat together on the ledge of a bridge in town, the water a light current beneath them, looking beautiful and calm, but holding a bite chilling to the bone.

“Are you serious? Why?”

“My family wants a fresh start, simple enough.”

“...Will you call?”

Daniel looked at Joe, who's blue eyes were still on him. “Call you?” the brunette asked.

“Well, at least like, write,” Joe looked away, abashed. “Or something.”

“Do you want me to?”

“...Yeah, sort of.”

Daniel watched Joe's flustered face before looking down at the current. “I'll call you.”

l.l

“Is that it?” Jack asked, looking back at Arty. Art shook his head, arms crossed while he watched his husband lift the boxes into the moving van.

“No, there’s one more in the kitchen,” he spoke. Then he brought a hand up to his mouth to bite his nails. Jack watched the man for a moment before tossing his hands up.

“Well?”

“A-am I getting it?”

Jack rolled his eyes and stepped away from the truck to leave back into the house. Arty watched his husband until the man disappeared, and then he looked at the house, big and... void. He'd lived in this house for eight years. Now it was just... It looked so bare.

He'd gotten his mother's inheritance when she died. Plenty enough for a new start.  He didn't feel guilty about her death- it was an accident. And it wasn't her money to begin with, anyway. No, he was just... scared. Of getting caught. Of what came next.

“Art! Arty!” Daniel called from the truck. He was in the front seat with Geil, the two keeping warm with the heater. Arty walked around the truck to the two, Geil on the older boy's lap, looking drowsy and uncomfortable. He had been upset about the move, and then excited, and then he tuckered himself out. Or it was his medicine. One thing was for sure, he looked like he wanted Arty to hold him, but Arty was too… he just didn't want to. And Daniel revelled in that. He owned them.

“What?” he asked. Daniel motioned for him to come close, so the man climbed up the truck's door step and perched on the edge of the seat. “What?” he asked again. Daniel leaned over to the brunette, his mouth so close to Arty's ear that he could feel the hot breath on his chilled appendage.

Whispered words that released more heat against the side of Arty's face, making the brunette close his eyes in silent pleasure, because it was very cold outside. And then Daniel dipped his head down into the crook of Arty's neck and pressed his lips against the side of the man's throat, kissing him tenderly along his pulsing vein.


	21. Cover Art

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thehorrorenthusiast on Wattpad created a cover piece for Life was Known, which is now in the story's first chapter, and I've decided to make cover art for my other stories as well. This is just the cover I made for The Good Son, which's part two will be called The Good Son vol. 2- it's coming soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All original works now have covers, in the first chapters. Silent Hill's Shame cover messed up, so I'll be uploading that one another time.


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